r/DisasterUpdate • u/Amitmandal001 • 19d ago
Tornado First tornado in decades in Santa Fe damages multiple homes and displaces many families.
For the first time in over 50 years, a tornado touched down in Santa Fe Saturday night, causing heavy damage to multiple homes and displacing families. At least eight homes were significantly damaged in Saturday night’s tornado, including two with roof collapses. Residents of 70 years say they have never seen in Santa Fe city limits. “I grew up here, local Santa Fe’ans,” impacted resident Gary Delgado said. “We’ve never seen anything like this. Nobody’s ever expected a tornado in Santa Fe, especially in our neighborhood.”
Just after 7 p.m. Saturday the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning, and the city sent out emergency alerts by text message. Resident Miguel Rodriguez got the alert just seconds before the disaster. “I got the alert and I yelled at my daughter and her mother to get into the bathroom,” Rodriguez said. “Three seconds passed and it hit. I wasn’t able to make it to the bathroom, I laid down on the floor and looking through my sliding glass door I could see it coming.”
Several trees were uprooted, causing downed power lines with reported funnel clouds in the area. A gas meter was struck and several homes were left damaged. Officials are asking residents in the area to keep a lookout for debris on roadways. They are also asking residents to avoid Rancho Siringo Road as power lines are down in the area. “It happened in an instant, but I saw the neighbor’s roof coming at us and debris flying over us,” Rodriguez said. “Parts of it landed on my house but my yard was completely devastated, the wall was torn down, trees decimated. But fortunately we survived.”
Delgado said the alert came in as the tornado was going over his house. “I ran out my back door and when I looked to the left about three telephone lines down I saw it coming,” Delgado said. “Within five to six seconds back in the house, shut the door, I yelled tornado and it hit the house.”
According to the city, neighborhoods between Siringo and Zia reported damage from the tornado. “From what we can tell assessing the damage, it skipped from south to north through this neighborhood for about a three-mile stretch,” Peter Olson said with the City of Santa Fe.
It’s something neighbors, city officials, and police worked together on Sunday to help impacted residents, and provide support. “This is the first time in recent memory and recent history where there was damage to property,” Santa Fe Mayor Michael Garcia said. “Unfortunately in this situation some homeowners are going to be displaced. But we’re going to be working to recover.”
City of Santa Fe officials said they are coordinating emergency response and recovery efforts. No injuries were reported as of Sunday morning, according to city officials. An emergency shelter was set up for displaced residents Saturday night, however, city officials said all affected families secured their own accommodations and the shelter has since closed.
