Detailed Timeline
Please contact us with errors or omissions. This is pieced together from various people's recollections of events combined with news accounts.
A HUGE thanks goes out to everyone that has volunteered their time in any way, shape, or form, to help Marengo or any other tornado disaster area recover. God Bless you all, and keep us updated so we may continue to keep this site updated!
Sunday, May 30, 2004
2:49 p.m.
Tornado strikes Marengo, Indiana
- lasted around 45-90 seconds
- electric for the whole town ceased
- majority of phones went down
- tornado later rated as F3 with winds as high as 170 mph and a path as wide as a quarter mile.
3:10 p.m.
Every chainsaw in the country mysteriously appears along with neighbors, strangers, and volunteers in order to begin clearing major roadways. Friends and neighbors begin to check in on each other making sure they weathered the storm without bodily harm.
The whole community begins to pull together like never before.
3:45 p.m.
Media vehicles, helicopters, and volunteer organizations from all over begin arriving offering support and encouragement.
A house-to-house check is organized. Eventually one fatality is discovered, John H. Laswell (age 83), and 11 injuries. As houses are checked ribbons are placed on each house so they will not be checked twice.
Highways 66 and 64 are blocked to all incoming traffic.
4 p.m.
Salavation Army arrives.
Shelter with 250 cots is setup by The Red Cross at the Crawford Country High School. 400 people arrive at the shelter, 100 spend the night. 50+ Volunteers work all night to ensure tornado victims were as comfortable as possible.
8 p.m.
Curfew put into effect and townspeople evacuated.
Ambulances make 6-7 runs that include:
- a serious heart-attack
- a woman going into labor
Crews work late into the night to clear the roads. Trees are cut away from cars and homes.
11 p.m.
Another intense thunderstorm rolls through the Marengo area. Approximately 155 people took cover (Clarion News).
Monday, May 31, 2004
10:30 a.m.
Sandwiches made by volunteers in mass quantity for all volunteer clean-up workers.
Insurance assessors begin to arrive to survey damage and settle claims
Supplies of all kinds pour in from everywhere while volunteers workers continue their effort.
Members of Christ United Methodist Church volunteered their time and brought donations.
Mid-Morning - Late Afternoon
Another Red Cross Shelter is established at Hillview Church - west of Marengo.
Residents and volunteers use all kinds of equipment in efforts to clear Marengo's streets.
Governor surveys damage from chopper and decides the National Guard is needed. Marengo is officially a disaster area.
National Guard flies in and determines how many men are needed.
Cinergy/PSI and other electrical corporations sent many vehicles, an estimated 220 linemen, to help restore power (The Clarion) The damage was so extreme that it was decided to rebuild Marengo's electrical system instead of repair
Cincinnati Gas and Eclectic send more relief workers totaling 72 persons. Some power is expected to be restored by Wednesday.
Tuesday, June 1, 2004
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's officials (FEMA) arrive and begin reviewing the damage to determine eligibility for disaster aid.
- Officials listed 156 homes and businesses as damaged or destroyed.
Volunteers relentlessly continue their clean-up efforts. Other volunteers continue to provide supplies and food to both the working volunteers and the tornado victims.
Two units consisting of 100 National Guardsmen arrive in order to help with the removal of debris and get roads re-opened. They are given an estimated stay of 3 days and will be staying at the Crawford County Highschool.
Power restored to some residents of Marengo.
Phones work for local (365) calls, but only intermittently if at all for other calls.
Wednesday, June 2, 2004
Clean-up efforts continue.
Phone service outside of town continues to hit and miss.
Idea of this website and the Photos and Memories CD first conceived.
First CDs created and placed at local businesses. $515 dollars raised.
Thursday, June 3 and Onward
Clean-up efforts continue and the recovery is ongoing.
Salavation Army feed approximate 350 Friday morning starting as early as 7:30 a.m.
20 dumpsters are brought in to help clean up debris.
Highway 66 re-opens to main traffic.
Crawford County Commissioners and Councilmen agree to appropriate funds so additional personnel can be hired to provide disaster relief.
Cracker Barrel donates 100 meals to serve at the Crawford County High School to residents of Marengo.
Saturday, June 5th, some residents are still without phones.