Yes, the power went out and sirens sounded. But in Columbus and Lowndes County, and much of Oktibbeha County, a miracle among miracles was happening Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, all around us was hell on earth.
In Columbus, the sun was breaking through the clouds, with touches of blue sky visible, as tornadoes were on the ground to the north — in Okolona, Wren and, most tragically, Smithville. Just to the south, a tornado touched down near Macon. Minutes later, Tuscaloosa was devastated … and then parts of Birmingham.
We experienced a parting of the seas. Historic, fierce storms raged toward Columbus, split to each side of us, passed us and closed up behind.
The sober, scientific view: This was a random, unpredictable weather event, and Columbus and Starkville were lucky. The religious among us certainly credit the grace of God. Others of us lacking religion found it Wednesday.
The power blackout brought with it a news blackout — not just for the public, but frustratingly for emergency responders and news outlets, including us. When power went down in Columbus and Starkville, no one could say when the power would come back on. Rumors swirled that it could be days, even though we were sideswiped by the storm.
Wednesday brought us a “unique weather event,” as one forecaster said — a once in a lifetime tragedy for this area, perhaps. More than 100 are already confirmed dead in Mississippi and Alabama; the number could rise into the hundreds. Hundreds are certainly dead across the Southeast and nationwide, in the swath of this terrible storm.
This is northeast Mississippi and northwest Alabama”s Katrina. Like the day of the hurricane, those who experienced the devastation will always remember where they were, and what they were doing, on April 27, 2011.
Our foot-tapping in the largely untouched Golden Triangle, as we waited for the power to come back, now seems selfish, even trite.
We in Starkville, Columbus and West Point should be humbled. We should take stock of our good fortune, and use whatever dividends we have left to reach out to our nearby neighbors. Find ways to volunteer, and more importantly, give what you can to the Red Cross and other charities that are aiding those touched by the devastation.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.