Survivors of Spalding tornadoes 1 year ago bracing for new wave of severe weather

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. — People in Spalding County are praying that the area is spared from severe storms as they continue to recover from tornadoes that hit the county one year ago tomorrow.

More than 2,200 homes and businesses were destroyed or severely damaged in that outbreak.

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Channel 2′s Tom Jones was in Griffin Thursday, where a damaged Hobby Lobby still has not reopened and is still under construction. Some homes still were covered with tarps or had exposed roofs.

The last thing people in the area want is another tornado or severe weather.

Dexter Wimbish doesn’t want to see a repeat of Jan. 12, 2023, because he and so many others are still cleaning up after tornadoes decimated the area that day.

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“We’re just bracing and praying that we’re spared the kind of damage we saw last time,” Wimbish said. “People are having a hard time getting back to normal.”

Jones talked to Wimbish last year when he had 35 trees fall in his yard. Two damaged his home. He said he’s still dealing with his insurance company trying to get his home back the way it was.

“It’s just an incredibly slow process,” Wimbish said.

Glen Polk, the director of Spalding County Emergency Management, said the area saw more than 2200 homes and businesses destroyed or damaged.

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“It was our worst disaster we had ever experienced here in Spalding County,” Polk said.

Jessica Serafin couldn’t believe the destruction after a tornado nearly decimated the Hobby Lobby.

“It looked just like a movie scene down here,” Serafin said.

Now, county leaders and residents are bracing for more potentially damaging weather.

“We’re being as prepared as we can,” Polk said. “We got our team ready.

Polk said they will be watching weather reports and are asking the public to watch as well and have a plan to get to a safe place in the event of an emergency.

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