Lincoln City residents still recovering after tornado

A roof on 74th Street was torn off during last Friday's storm. (Photo by Melica Johnson KATU News)

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Story Published: Nov 10, 2009 at 9:04 AM PST

By Melica Johnson KATU News and KATU.com Staff

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LINCOLN CITY, Ore. – Residents of Lincoln City were still recovering Monday from a rare Northwest tornado that wreaked havoc Friday night.

Kathy Lieb, an appraiser with Lincoln County, spent part of the morning walking the neighborhood that was hit the hardest and talking to homeowners whose homes were damaged.

“We’re coming to do an act of God survey of the homes that have been damaged,” she said.

She said property owners would need to have their homes checked for structural damage and to submit a damage form with the county. But she said some people may get a break on their property taxes.

“These folks may have already paid their taxes and they may see an actual refund of some monies due to the damage done to their home,” Lieb said.

Many of the homes looked the same as they did on Friday. Two homes that sit side by side on 74th Street were especially hit. One had the roof blown off and the other had its deck destroyed. Nearby trees were also uprooted.

The damage attracted a lot of attention from onlookers snapping pictures to contractors looking for work, and Jim Jenneke, who owns the house with its deck torn apart, said it’s been like a zoo.

“It’s been been very irritating,” he said. “That’s at the back of my mind. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m pretty upset about it.”

He said he’s worried his house may be so damaged that it could be condemned.

Courtney Durham was one of the few people who saw the tornado.

“It was literally just coming straight at this window,” she said gesturing toward a window that overlooks other houses.

“It didn’t look like a tornado you see on the news. It looked like mist,” she said.

That “mist” blew out ten of the windows in her family’s beach house.

For area-contractors the damage brings opportunit. Jagow and Son Roofing of Lincoln City is already on a job repairing shingles.

A representative from North Lincoln Fire and Rescue said there is concern that this is going to be a tough winter because the weather has already been so unusual. On Monday, thunderstorms rolled through the area bringing with it heavy downpours.

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