Sounds from the storm: 'I could hear the people from the apartments behind us screaming'

Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log
·2 min read

Less than 36 hours after the storm blew through the eastern end of Thomas Drive on Panama City Beach on Tuesday morning, the sounds and effects were still fresh on folks' minds as they tried to pick up the pieces Wednesday.

For Matthew Baker, who has lived on Panama City Beach for 22 years, this was his first experience with a tornado.

Matthew Baker and his dog Dixie survived the storm that blew through the Panama City Beach area early Tuesday morning. On Wednesday his was out picking up remains.
Matthew Baker and his dog Dixie survived the storm that blew through the Panama City Beach area early Tuesday morning. On Wednesday his was out picking up remains.

“It got pretty intense,” he said.

Baker said when he heard it coming, he grabbed his dog, Dixie, and got in the closet.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Baker said, nearly tearing up while trying to explain.

Matthew Baker who lives at the corner of Silver Street and Beach Drive was busy picking up and around his yard on Wednesday morning.
Matthew Baker who lives at the corner of Silver Street and Beach Drive was busy picking up and around his yard on Wednesday morning.

His house at Silver Street and Beach Drive suffered damage. His fencing was also ripped down by the fierce winds, and his truck was damaged.

Although he had no electricity, Baker said he was able to sleep in his home Tuesday evening.

“I just put another blanket on the bed and stayed,” he said.

Baker wasn't the only one with damage to his vehicle.

Thomas Jacobs, who lived just down the road on Treasure Circle, said all his vehicles are “totaled.”

Thomas Jacobs who lives on Treasure Circle survived the storm, however, his vehicles did not. Two of the vehicles in the driveway have pieces of someones roof sitting on them.
Thomas Jacobs who lives on Treasure Circle survived the storm, however, his vehicles did not. Two of the vehicles in the driveway have pieces of someones roof sitting on them.

“My house is good, it held up,” Jacobs said.

However, his RV, truck and two other vehicles were totaled.

A power pole crashed into the RV, and roofing from somewhere in the neighborhood was imbedded on his two vehicles in the driveway. The truck was busted up too.

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Jacobs has lived on Panama City Beach for 11 years. Early Tuesday morning, he said he heard hail coming down outside and had gone out to look.

“Then it got quiet,” he said, before everything went crazy.

He ran back into the house to take cover.

Thomas Jacobs said all of his vehicles were totaled due to damage done by the storm.
Thomas Jacobs said all of his vehicles were totaled due to damage done by the storm.

“I could hear glass shattering and things popping,” Jacobs said. “I could hear people in the apartments behind us screaming."

The apartment complex that backs up to his property was devastated with walls blown out and parts of the roof missing.

“You could hear it roaring ... everything was shattering and going crazy,” Jacobs said.

Thomas Jacobs found this dumpster in his backyard after the storm. The apartments behind his house were demolished.
Thomas Jacobs found this dumpster in his backyard after the storm. The apartments behind his house were demolished.

And in a matter of minutes, it was over.

Courtesy of the storm, he inherited a dumpster in his backyard that blew in from somewhere and his dog ran out through the doggie door.

They had the dog back by early afternoon on Tuesday, but the dumpster has taken up residence by the pool in the backyard.

This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Sounds of the storm leave an impression on Panama City Beach residents