CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Right now, neighbors across Citrus County are still cleaning up after an EF-2 tornado touched down last Thursday. Despite the severity of the damage, the sheriff's office said only minor injuries were reported.
“For many, the impacts of last week’s tornado were devastating. The Crystal River area has been working to recover from flooding after Hurricane Idalia, and it is very disheartening to see the hard work people have put toward rebuilding be torn down by yet another natural disaster,” Sheriff Mike Prendergast said. “Thankfully, our Emergency Management team was able to respond quickly, helping to coordinate response and recovery.”
It's the area's second natural disaster in the span of a few weeks. Right now, some people are in temporary housing, and others still living in the mess.
Many of those who were in the path of the more than 5-mile-long tornado had just finished dealing with flooding following Hurricane Idalia. Tarzia Nickerson had a foot of flood waters throughout her home.
Just in time for that cleanup to be complete, she now has another mess to take care of.
"From the front, it looks like there's not much," she described. "When you come back in the yard, the entire backyard is pretty much wiped out."
Nickerson's patio roof collapsed. The fence is destroyed. Her backyard shed was picked up by the twister and now sits upside down. She was home with two of her five kids as the tornado sliced through her neighborhood.
"One of our sons is a little shaken up," Nickerson said. "So having him return back to school the day after the tornado, just trying to keep the consistency and reassuring that it's just stuff. And that, you know, we can rebuild."
Her home is just south of Three Sister Springs. She and many others are dealing with costly damages.
"So far, we're still doing inspections, but we're close to 135 impacted structures," Crystal River Assistant City Manager Michael Manning said. "Many of those were just getting over Hurricane Idalia and the devastating flooding that had been through our area."
Crystal River city officials expect weeks more of debris removal as cleanup efforts continue. As that work continues, many have that storm fresh in their minds.
"It was a sound I don't think I'll ever forget," Nickerson said. "I didn't hear the stuff like the roof fall or the shed move. It was the sound of the tornado was unbelievable. And I think I was shaking for hours."
Nickerson was using this shed as storage. She lost family photos, keepsakes and gifts passed down for generations.
"It's just a lot when you weren't expecting it," she said. "So just a lot of hard work, but we'll get there."
While the damage here is devastating, this disaster didn't qualify for an emergency declaration. The city of Crystal River and Citrus County is managing cleanup without state or federal resources.
A damage assessment has been sent to FEMA to determine eligibility for small business administration assistance. SBA can offer low-interest, long-term loans for people, nonprofits, and businesses. Even though the name SBA implies businesses, individual household members may still apply. They offer loans for the uninsured or the underinsured.
Malique Rankin is a general assignment reporter with 10 Tampa Bay. You can email her story ideas at mrankin@10tampabay.com and follow her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.