Â鶹´«Ã½

Nearly a month after an EF-1 tornado caused significant damage in downtown Tuscumbia, the city has learned it will not qualify for federal relief aid.

The tornado struck during the weekend of February 15, causing widespread destruction, with some buildings to this day with structural damage and even some missing roofs. To qualify for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Alabama would need to have sustained at least $9 million in uninsured damage. According to Tuscumbia Mayor William Foster, the damage from the storm is estimated at roughly $900,000, well below the required threshold.

"We're still seeing debris every day," Foster said. "We're over 6 million pounds — almost 7 million pounds — of debris, and that number continues to climb."

While federal assistance is not available, Foster and the city are now working with U.S. lawmakers, including Alabama Senators Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, as well as State Representative Robert Aderholt, to secure additional funding for the city's recovery efforts. Although the city has a $11 million budget, the potential $1 to $1.5 million cost of damages at the start of severe weather season is not worked into that budget. Foster pointed out that the area could face more tornadic weather as soon as this weekend.

"The whole thing about it now is that Saturday, we have a chance of tornadic weather again," Foster said. "It's like every weekend or every week, we've got a chance."

For now, Foster is urging the community to remain patient and stay safe. He acknowledged that the city is still discovering damage, with ongoing calls about fallen limbs and other hazards.

"We're working really hard, and we're still finding things every day," Foster said.

Foster also said that some intersections in Downtown Tuscumbia are still in need of repairs. Until they are fixed, they are being treated as four-way stops. He asked residents to drive with caution as work continues.