Shelby County-Wide Tornado Cleanup

(Harlan) The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency is seeking volunteers to help with tomorrow’s (May 4) county-wide tornado cleanup project.

Officials ask people to grab friends, co-workers, family, club teams, and or neighbors, make a team, delegate a leader, grab supplies, and put on their mud clothes. The project includes picking up debris in farm fields for those requesting help.

Volunteers are to meet at the Harlan Community High School north parking lot at 11:30 a.m. for groups of 10-20 people and at noon for individuals and small groups. Officials suggest volunteers wear gloves and bring a bucket for smaller debris.

The tornado that swept through Shelby County originated east of McClelland and tracked north-northeast through the eastern part of Minden east of Tennant, then west of Harlan and the immediate east of Defiance before dissipating just south of the Shelby/Crawford County line. The tornado began at 5:25 p.m. and ended at 6:29 p.m., tracking 40.9 miles. The estimated peak winds were 160 mph. The max width of the tornado was 1700 yards.