Groundhog Day Tornado

About
I covered the 2007 Groundhog Day Tornados near Deland, Florida, February 2, 2007. There were 21 people killed and 76 others injured during the tornado, as a result of a supercell with a 70-mile trail of damage. I covered the first and second day of the tragedy, along with several stories related to the community rebuilding their homes and lives. – Jannet Walsh

Jannet Walsh, Ocala Star-Banner, day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, Fla., Feb. 3, 2007. Photo by Fred Hiers, Ocala Star-Banner.

The second day after the tornado I was sent to specifically get a list of the dead in an area called Lake Mack. In my career as a photojournalist, this is the closet I have been to a war zone with the high death total of 21 people, and most homes destroyed.

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### Devastation of homes near Lake Mack area located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### A team from the Lake County Sheriff Office searches in the rumble of a home near Lake Mack. The area is located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### Remains of a Virgin Mary and other items are placed on what remains on the home of Nellie Byrd(cq) at Lake Mack area located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### A cross with a Bible rests beside the remains of a mobile home of the late Jamie Wright(cq), age 55, that died along with her fiance Scott Lamond(cq) age 50, in the early Friday morning tornados near Lake Mack. The area is located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### A family member holds a photograph and school work of the late Jacob Nolan(cq), age 7, that was killed along with his father William Nolan(cq) in the early Friday morning tornados near Lake Mack. The area is located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### A family member holds the drivers license of the late Jamie Wright(cq), age 55, that died along with her fiance Scott Lamond(cq) age 50, in the early Friday morning tornados near Lake Mack. The area is located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Day after tornados in the Lake Mack area, Deland, FL### Painfully Becky Nolan(cq) talks about her late son Jacob Nolan(cq), age 7, and her husband William Nolan(cq) that both died in the early Friday morning tornados near Lake Mack. The area is located east of Paisley and west of Deland and just south of Lake County Road 42, Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

###Ocala Star-Banner – Early morning storm damage, Deland, FL### Father Anthony Palmese(cq) of St. Jude Catholic Church, in Marion Oaks and also chaplain with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office helps to take information of residents that are lost or have died. Father Palmese is at a Lake County fire station at Lake Mary, located west of the city Deland and east of Paisley, just south of Lake County Road 42, and from , Friday afternoon, Feb. 2, 2007, Deland, FL. ( Jannet Walsh/Star-Banner)2007

By NOAA – http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mlb/surveys/020207/index.html, Public Domain, Link