Tornado Death Toll Rises to 53 in Tuscaloosa

A Forest Lake, Ala., woman was added Monday as the 53rd person in the Tuscaloosa area to die as a result of the April 27 tornado.

The Tuscaloosa News reports that 87-year-old Hope Hamilton died Oct. 6 after battling a series of illnesses brought about by the tornado.

Meredith Lynch, public relations coordinator for the city of Tuscaloosa’s Incident Command, said college students who lived near Hamilton helped free her from debris and get her to DCH Regional Medical Center. However, Hamilton’s connection to her oxygen tank was lost during the trip, and the hospital diagnosed her with pneumonia and a possible heart attack.

The addition of Hamilton brings the total of those who died from circumstances created by the storm to 10. Another 43 died as an immediate result of the tornado.