MARION JUNCTION, Ala. (WSFA) – On the three-year anniversary of the deadly 2023 Selma tornado, county crews are once again responding to storm damage — this time from a powerful thunderstorm that swept through parts of Dallas County Saturday morning.
The storm left several homes damaged and roads blocked by fallen trees and debris. Emergency management officials say the damage came as a surprise, as the system was issued under a thunderstorm warning; not a tornado warning.
“I was in awe because this happened from a thunderstorm warning,” said Toya Crusoe, Director of the Dallas County Emergency Management Agency.
WSFA 12 News crews observed downed trees, damaged structures, and blocked roadways in multiple areas across the county. Crusoe says her office is now assisting more than five families who lost nearly everything in the storm.
“We provided tarps and asked if they needed MREs — meals ready to eat — especially with power being off in some areas,” Crusoe said.
Since the storm moved through, county crews have been working to clear debris from several impacted roadways, including County Roads 219, 925, 306, and 37.
Dallas County Engineer Anthony Crear says the priority is ensuring public safety and restoring access for residents.
“The first operation was to simply clear the road — make a path so the public can travel,” Crear explained. “Once that’s done, we focus on removing the debris.”
The timing of the storm is not lost on emergency officials. Cleanup efforts come exactly three years after the deadly EF-3 tornado struck Selma on January 12, 2023, killing multiple people and destroying hundreds of homes.
Crusoe says the anniversary serves as an important reminder for residents to report storm damage as soon as possible regardless of whether it’s caused by a tornado or severe thunderstorm.
“Contact 9-1-1 and Alabama Power,” Crusoe said. “When you call 9-1-1, they notify the county road department or public works to remove trees from roadways. If damages aren’t reported and there’s no FEMA ID number in the system, there’s very little we can do later at the local level.”
County officials say crews hope to have all affected roadways cleared and debris removed by the end of the week.
Emergency management officials also noted that FEMA assistance is unlikely for this storm, as it did not meet federal damage thresholds. Residents impacted will need to rely on their homeowner’s insurance for recovery.
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