It's been two days since an EF-3 tornado tore through the city of Jacksboro taking out powerlines, destroying homes and schools.
About 80 homes sustained damages according to authorities.
"You could feel the house shift and it was just horrifying," said Jannie West, whose home no longer has a roof.
West, her husband and adult daughter, who was visiting at the time, took shelter in a bathroom with a mattress on top of them.
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“All I could really remember saying was, 'God keep us safe, please God take it away, keep us safe," expressed West.
When she stepped out, she saw not only the damage to her home, but also to her neighbors on N. 11th St.
“Looked like a bomb (went off), looked like a war zone," said West.
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On Wednesday friends, family, and strangers removed downed limbs, wood and other debris from streets and homes.
“I’ve always loved that tree. When we first bought the property, that was the first thing that caught our eye," said Linda Heathcoat about the large tree in the front of her property. "My kids climbed that tree for years and all my grandkids have and it’s just something that makes our property special.”
Her son, grandson, and others helped cut off the branches of the mangled tree which she thinks is possibly 100 years old. She and her family moved into the home back in 1978.
“It just like everything else that’s material things, what's important is people's lives," said Heathcoat.
She too sheltered in a bathroom as the tornado passed over. Heathcoat said her home has minimal damage compared to her neighbors.
"When I walked outside, I could not believe the neighborhood. All I can say is I'm blessed because I've got some damage, but not like my other neighbors," explained Heathcoat.
Gov. Greg Abbott's office said people need to reach out to their insurance but are encouraged to complete what's called the 'Self Reporting Damage Survey' to, "help the state identify damages across Texas and help emergency management officials gain an understanding of damages that occurred during the recent severe weather."
The state said the information will be used to provide data to FEMA to determine the state's eligibility and highlight the need for federal disaster assistance.
Homeowners and businesses can find the voluntary damage survey here.
