3 days ago
Petersburg resident reflects on 35th anniversary of EF-4 tornado
PETERSBURG, Ind. (WEHT) — It's been 35 years since an EF-4 tornado tore through Petersburg, killing six people and injuring dozens of others.
Residents say it is a day they will never forget.
'I was about five miles away and the weather was very eerie that night,' says Brent Beck.
Beck was 18 years old at the time and remembers seeing the damage a day after it happened. He says the community he loves was ripped apart.
'My dad and I got in the truck and came into town. I think we had to take several different routes… It was still dark at the time, so we could not get a real feel for it until the next day, when we came into town, and it was just total destruction. At the time, I had never seen anything like it in my whole life, I mean, the whole town was kind of in disbelief actually,' Beck says.
The tornado was part of a statewide outbreak. 37 tornadoes were reported across Indiana, setting the record for the most tornadoes in a single day in state history. Petersburg was one of the areas hardest hit.
The tornado destroyed 168 homes and damaged hundreds of buildings. Beck says the town was unrecognizable.
'The hardest part was Petersburg Elementary. The school basically imploded. It was a miracle that school was not in session that day; the school was gutted. It was quite a sight,' Beck says.
Each year, the city places a wreath near the tornado memorial along Main Street, to recognize the lives lost.
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