Kentucky’s governor described it as the “worst, most devastating tornado event” in his state’s history
The tornado that hit Mayfield was the worst to have hit America since one destroyed much of Joplin, Missouri, in 2011. As well as tearing up Mayfield, it wrecked buildings in five other states across the Midwest and South. By December 15th, 88 people were known to have been killed, 74 of whom were in Kentucky. Dozens more were still missing, while hundreds have been made homeless.
When your correspondent arrived, volunteers from all over Kentucky, and even further afield, had set up stalls to hand out food, water and other essentials. Fire departments were busy clearing the roads. Generators had been hauled in to provide power. “The town is not going to quit because of this,” says John Darnell, who drove in from his home in a neighbouring county to drop off supplies. “They’re too resourceful.
What matters more is having a good plan, says Elaina Sutley, who studies disaster recovery at the University of Kansas. A well-organised local government can marshall an enormous amount of federal and state resources. But smaller towns often do not have the ready expertise to work out which grants to apply for, or what to do with them. Political conflict can stifle the ability to use money well. “There is a window of opportunity that does not last very long after each disaster,” she says.
Sadly, as in so many things, a town’s existing wealth is an important factor. Where most residents affected are homeowners and decently insured, they can often recover quickly, by enlisting private sector resources to rebuild their homes. Poorer places, with lots of renters, are more likely to suffer permanently, as people whose homes are damaged leave. What you sometimes see, says Ms Sutley, is that “some pieces of the town look really great, and other parts get left behind.
Whether Mayfield will thrive is yet to be seen. The median household income in the town is just $32,200, much lower than the national figure of $67,500. Poverty will prove a challenge. At a community centre shelter in Wingo, a town around 10 miles away, one evacuee, Evonda Murdock, says this is the second time she has been forced to move recently. A few months before, her landlord had evicted her and her son, forcing them to live in a hotel. “I don’t know what we are going to do now”, she says.
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