The Alabama town of Prattville, counting some 35,000 residents, was struck Sunday evening by a violent tornado. Even though no death was registered there, serious damage was brought on by the dangerous weather. Almost 200 homes and 40 businesses were destroyed and around 50 people were injured during the tornado.

Meteorologist Jim Stefkovich from the National Weather Service’s Birmingham office said that the tornado followed a path that was a quarter-mile wide and that it had winds of 140 to 150 mph.

Mayor Jim Byard considers that “God was watching over our city last night,” because the storm did not hit in the middle of the night. According to the Associated Press, Byard said that it would have been fatal if the tornado had struck at night.

Alabama. Gov. Bob Riley and Mayor Byard said that they were working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency assessment teams in order to determine if the town will be eligible for federal emergency management assistance, the AP reports.

In order to help, hundreds of volunteers showed up. During one of his visits to a damaged house, Gov. Riley saw 23 people helping to clean the yard. According to the local news magazine Montgomery Advertiser, Byard said: “We literally have more help than we know what to do with. The level of help we have received is just amazing. All you have to do is look around and see neighbor helping neighbor.”

However, the near future does not bring good news. According to the National Weather Service, severe weather is going to be in the next period. Also, there are 60 percent chances of thunderstorm on Thursday.