ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The images and videos emerging from the Southern states this past weekend has been nothing short of astonishing. As of today, approximately 90 tornadoes have been confirmed to have touched down over the course of just 48 to 72 hours, from Friday through Sunday. The destruction is heartbreaking, and the stories of devastation are hard to comprehend. As one Mississippi resident put it, “It was literally five seconds of horror.”

One of the most severe events happened in the town of Tylertown, Louisiana, a small town of about 1,000 residents near the Mississippi border. The community was struck not by one, but two tornadoes in quick succession. The first tornado, an EF4, tore through the town at around 12:19 p.m. on Saturday. This storm, one of the most powerful on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, flattened much of Tylertown. But then just an hour later, a second tornado—rated EF3—followed in the wake of the first. Many residents, still reeling from the initial destruction, found themselves facing another devastating tornado.

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, used by meteorologists to measure the intensity of tornadoes, classifies storms based on the damage they cause. After a tornado, meteorologists survey the area to determine the storm’s strength. In regions like Western New York, tornadoes are typically on the lower end of the scale—EF0 or EF1—causing moderate damage. In contrast, the Southern U.S. is often hit with more powerful storms, which can reach the upper end of the scale. This weekend, two EF4 tornadoes leveled parts of the South, with winds estimated to exceed 200 mph. At this intensity, the destruction is total—anything in the direct path of the tornado is unfortunately gone.

As communities begin the long process of recovery help is needed. Remember, the Red Cross is there, and your donations can make a difference.