Residents of this town nearly wiped off the map by a tornado are extending assistance to another Kansas community struck by a twister a year later.
Greensburg, in southwest Kansas, was mostly destroyed by a tornado that rated 5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale — the highest level measured — on May 4, 2007. Chapman in north-central Kansas was struck by a lower-scale EF3 tornado earlier this month.
Greensburg Mayor Bob Dixson says that while the destruction in Chapman might not have reached the level of that in his city, residents have suffered the same trauma.
"Whether things are 1 percent damaged or 100 percent, it's still devastating," Dixson said. "Our hearts sank when we saw what they were going through. Our prayers went out to them."
He said several Greensburg residents have set aside their own rebuilding efforts and gone to Chapman to help.
The Greensburg twister killed 11 people in the town of 1,400. A year later, about half the population remained, many living in a mobile home park set up by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
About 40 new homes were built to energy efficient, environmentally friendly specifications.
Dixson said Greensburg officials also have been sharing advice for rebuilding Chapman, also a town of 1,400.
"We feel blessed by all the assistance we had here, and we wanted to reciprocate somehow," he said.
Tony Frieze, the school superintendent in Chapman, said Greensburg's support has been helpful.
"They've all been through this, so they know what we're going through here," Frieze said.
Restoring the school system is particularly important, said Tom Corns, owner and president of Greensburg State Bank.
"If it's not, families will leave and there will be little chance of them coming back," he said.
Source: AP News
