<p>just heard on the livestream that the krispy kreme & taco casa are gone. Gone! at 15th & McFarland.</p>
<p>Major damage at the vicinity of University Mall. Multiple building destroyed.</p>
<p>Reporter is saying that it looks like EF4 or EF5 type damage, which of course can’t be confirmed until after the National Weather Service comes out to assess tomorrow. Pray for Birmingham too; it got bigger as it got up there. They were saying about a mile wide up there.</p>
<p>They’re saying Full Moon, Milo’s and Big Lots gone too.</p>
<p>A guy reporting live from T-town just said that private apartments near campus are damaged, near where Big Lots is…</p>
<p>If you can’t get the ABC 33/40 streaming, The Weather Channel is showing coverage of Birmingham now…may discuss Tuscaloosa damage…</p>
<p>Prayers to everyone in Tuscaloosa (and to those of you elsewhere who have children/family/friends in T-Town). Please let us know when you hear from your student.</p>
<p>How did Parents survive without cell phones?
The weather channel people said debris from Tuscaloosa was falling form the sky ahead of the tornado. That is one nasty storm.<br>
I hope everyone has been able to contact their loved ones.</p>
<p>Thank goodness for the dorms and buildings on campus where our kids can take shelter. Really feeling for the poor kids that live off campus in apartments, and the great folks that work on campus that may be losing their homes, too. Prayers for everyone. Stay safe.</p>
<p>My DS is safe. Was in Lakeside West doesn’t see any damage there.</p>
<p>Thanks, all, for letting us know your kids are safe, dorms are safe. Tuscaloosa mayor is on phone with weather channel right now.</p>
<p>They asked him about the campus, and he said he’ll know better by 730 tonight after a staff meeting.</p>
<p>Mayor said appears there has been some damage to UA campus, but doesn’t know specifics…will be meeting with his team later tonight to access damage. </p>
<p>Worst thing he said, besides one confirmed fatality and potential loss of life, is that the many resources they use to clean up have been damaged as ;well…</p>
<p>FYI: just got a cell call from D. She said it’s hard to get a call out right now or text, I’m sure because of volume combined with damaged cells. Ridgecrest West is on emergency power with no internet so she can’t post anything to FB or send emails. Just wanted to let y’all know so you’re not freaking out if you can’t reach your child.</p>
<p>RA’s said they saw the tornado touch down near Ridgecrest South. Blount apparently has some damage.</p>
<p>[VIDEO:</a> Tuscaloosa Tornado Nearing Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium - SB Nation Atlanta](<a href=“http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/4/27/2137734/tuscaloosa-tornados-alabama-bryant-denny-stadium]VIDEO:”>http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2011/4/27/2137734/tuscaloosa-tornados-alabama-bryant-denny-stadium)</p>
<p>Here’s an unbelievable video of the tornado near Bryant -Denny.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone, for the updates. Haven’t been able to reach my son yet, but your info is reassuring.</p>
<p>malanai: D said she’d been trying to call or text for about a half hour before she succeeded. But I can assure you that Ridgecrest West is AOK :)</p>
<p>Oh my goodness, I’m so upset to learn about what has happened at UA. My son (prospective student) and I are reading the comments on this thread and watching the videos. We are both saying a prayer for everyone who lives, works, and studies in Tuscaloosa.</p>
<p>Just got through to my son. Said he cannot text out but is receiving my texts. He has been out walking around and said damage to campus area is not what some are reporting. Said hospital looks fine??? Said he has not been out to McFarland though and hears that’s where the worst damage is…</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for the updates, thankful everyone here is safe so far. Our d is safe too,but have had no phone contact for about an hour, so thankful for all updates here. Our prayers are with everyone affected by this.</p>
<p>I am heartbroken beyond belief. Certainly, the loss of life is paramount in this tragedy. Beyond that, people have lost homes, jobs, and businesses. When I think about the memorabilia in the Full Moon, I feel we all lost a piece of our soul tonight. My prayers that all of our students are safe.</p>