Sunbright community continues to rebuild one year since tornado touched down

Yahoo

02-04-2025

SUNBRIGHT, Tenn (WATE) — Wednesday marked one year since an EF 1 tornado touched down in the Sunbright community in Morgan County, and the community has been rebuilding ever since.
Sunbright Mayor Karen Melton told 6 News she is hopeful the area will soon return to what it once was, but the progress has been slow.
'We just have we just have a lot to do, and, we just need to get busy and do it, and, you know, if the city can help, we're willing to help,' said Melton.
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Melton said because they did not received any federal assistance in their recovery efforts it has taken longer for them to recover.
'I feel more hopeful today than I did a year ago or six months ago,' she said. 'I've had some folks reach out to me even the last few days and they assure me that they are going to be doing more clean up and you know, more progress will be done, and I trust their word, I do.'
On April 2, 2024, many buildings in the area were destroyed by an EF 1 tornado that touched down in their downtown area, damaging a funeral home, multiple churches, businesses, and houses.
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'The turmoil that has caused the people, and some people have insurance and some people do not, and I know the county has really tried to help,' said Morgan County resident, Susie Kries. 'It takes a lot, and the people have helped, It's unreal what people personally have done.'
Kries said she has lived in the area for nearly 70 years, and despite this being one of the worst events she had witnessed, it brought the community together.
'It's great to live in a place like this, you have the people that you do here that are willing to go out and give up themselves like they do,' she said.
After with another EF 2 tornado devastating the county earlier this year, Melton said it could take some time before Sunbright is back to what it was.
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'I think it'll be small, It'll be small steps, but it will be progress, and that's what we're looking to have,' said Melton.
Currently, she said the city is working on a beautification project they hope to begin this summer.
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