‘We're going to fly away or the house is going down on us': Kent County families recall storm's terrifying moments Neighbors in Marydel are repairing the roof of a house damaged by trees that fell during Thursday's storms. Communities in western Kent County are beginning the long cleanup process after powerful storms tore through the area Thursday night, downing trees, ripping roofs from homes and leaving residents to pick up the pieces. Parts of the roof of a mobile home on Halltown Road in Hartly were torn off during the storm, and family members there are now weighing whether it's safe to stay given the extent of the damage. For Shantelle Quinones, who lives at this mobile home, the storm arrived fast. She was sitting on her sofa when a tornado warning alert told her to seek shelter in a basement — something her mobile home doesn't have. Instead, she headed to a closet in her bedroom with her daughter and their two dogs. "For a moment, I got really scared and I thought we were not going to make it," Quinones said. "It was a really bad experience and scary. And I just remember grabbing my daughter because she's all I have." Quinones said the family listened to heavy rain and wind for several minutes before hearing a loud slam as the house shook. "I remember trying to call my mom in Florida, my sister, because I thought I had to say goodbye to them because, well, you could hear outside and the way the house was moving. It was bad," she said. She said she and her daughter held each other and cried, terrified, as her fiancé went to check the damage after the shaking stopped. He looked out a window and saw that part of the roof had landed in their front yard. When Quinones stepped out of the closet, she found water dripping through the walls and pooling on the floor throughout the hallway and kitchen.#kent_county #hartly #marydel #hartly_volunteer_fire_company #parker_chapel
Meningitis Outbreak in England Sparks Concern Among University Students A meningitis outbreak in southeast England has resulted in the deaths of a university student and a school pupil, prompting urgent public health measures. Officials in the county of Kent have described the situation as unprecedented due to the rapid spread of cases, with the first confirmed case appearing just days ago. The outbreak has led to the administration of antibiotics and vaccinations to thousands of students at the University of Kent in Canterbury, where the majority of cases have been linked to a bacterial strain. Meningitis is an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, caused by either viruses or bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is particularly dangerous, often leading to severe blood infections known as meningococcal sepsis, which can cause a life-threatening rash. In some cases, the infection may result in limb amputations. The current outbreak in Canterbury has been confirmed to stem primarily from bacterial infections. Public health officials have identified a potential super-spreader event linked to a nightclub in Canterbury, where many affected individuals attended between March 5 and 7. Doctors have been instructed to prescribe antibiotics to anyone who visited the club during those dates, as well as students at the University of Kent. This measure aims to prevent the spread of the infection, especially since the bacteria can linger in the nose or throat and transmit through coughing, kissing, or shared drinks. The outbreak has prompted a renewed emphasis on preventive measures, with many residents in Canterbury donning masks and maintaining social distance, reminiscent of pandemic-era practices.#meningitis_outbreak #university_of_kent #canterbury #kent_county #wes_streeting
