It has been 47 years since the deadly E-F 5 tornado struck Lubbock, killing 26 people, injuring 1,500 and causing nearly $200 million dollars worth of damage.
Lubbock man, Ronnie Harris said he was 20 years old on the day of the tornado and he worked part time driving an ambulance for Aid Ambulance.He said the tornado in 1970 is a day he’ll never forget.
“You could just drive around and find people that were hurt, we picked up people for 48 hours straight without eating or sleeping,” Harris said. “I had 100 calls of people calling for everything, we were dropping off people at St. Mary’s Hospital.”
He said 47 years later severe weather is still something to be taken very seriously.
“Ever since then we watch out for tornados like we never did before and fortunately there hasn’t been another one like that but there weren’t warnings or sirens back then,” Harris said.
Today the Lubbock City Council heard a presentation from the Central Business District TIF Board about plans for a 26 foot tornado memorial gateway near Avenue Q and Glenna Goodacre. They will vote on the project at their next meeting.
“It is important to remember those folks that lost their lives in that tragedy in Lubbock, Texas in 1970,” Councilman Jeff Griffith said.
