Man Survives Tornado Ride in Van. See Footage.
A harrowing video has emerged of a man riding out an EF-3 tornado inside his pest control van, as he was narrowly spared from the worst of the storm's fury. Cody Coombes, the driver of the vehicle, recounts his terrifying experience in an interview with CNN.
The National Weather Service reported that the tornado tore through Pulaski and Lonoke counties in Arkansas, reaching estimated peak winds of 165 mph. The twister left a trail of destruction in its wake, claiming the lives of one person in North Little Rock and four people in Wynne.
Coombes, who was driving his van when the storm hit, describes how he found shelter inside the vehicle just as the tornado touched down. "I pulled over to the side of the road and I went inside the van," Coombes tells CNN. "It was like a little bunker or something."
The driver says that during the tornado, debris was flying everywhere outside his window, but he was able to shelter from the worst of it inside the vehicle. "It was like being in a tunnel, you know?" Coombes explains. "You couldn't see anything out the window, and the noise... it was just deafening."
When asked if he thought about calling for help during the storm, Coombes replied, "I didn't think about that at all. I was just trying to survive, you know? Get through this thing as quickly as possible."
Coombes' bravery in riding out the tornado has sparked an outpouring of support on social media, with many praising his quick thinking and calm demeanor during a chaotic situation.
The video of Coombes' terrifying experience has been viewed millions of times online and serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by severe weather events.
A harrowing video has emerged of a man riding out an EF-3 tornado inside his pest control van, as he was narrowly spared from the worst of the storm's fury. Cody Coombes, the driver of the vehicle, recounts his terrifying experience in an interview with CNN.
The National Weather Service reported that the tornado tore through Pulaski and Lonoke counties in Arkansas, reaching estimated peak winds of 165 mph. The twister left a trail of destruction in its wake, claiming the lives of one person in North Little Rock and four people in Wynne.
Coombes, who was driving his van when the storm hit, describes how he found shelter inside the vehicle just as the tornado touched down. "I pulled over to the side of the road and I went inside the van," Coombes tells CNN. "It was like a little bunker or something."
The driver says that during the tornado, debris was flying everywhere outside his window, but he was able to shelter from the worst of it inside the vehicle. "It was like being in a tunnel, you know?" Coombes explains. "You couldn't see anything out the window, and the noise... it was just deafening."
When asked if he thought about calling for help during the storm, Coombes replied, "I didn't think about that at all. I was just trying to survive, you know? Get through this thing as quickly as possible."
Coombes' bravery in riding out the tornado has sparked an outpouring of support on social media, with many praising his quick thinking and calm demeanor during a chaotic situation.
The video of Coombes' terrifying experience has been viewed millions of times online and serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by severe weather events.
. I mean, who drives with all that stuff in the back? It's like begging for trouble! And what about those four people who died in Wynne? That's not something to be celebrated or shared on social media. It's just a reminder of how fragile life is. And what's with the "bravery" thing? He was just trying to survive, yeah, but he could've easily been killed too. Let's focus on finding ways to prevent these disasters from happening in the first place rather than just sharing videos of people being lucky 
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that's insane!! 
i mean, i know it sounds crazy but like coombes was literally in 2nd gear just chillin inside his van while the tornado was tearin thru the world outside him 
what a lifesaver that van must've been!! 
idk how u can't be impressed by someone savin their life like dat 
. like, what are the chances?! i'm not gonna lie, my heart is still racing just thinking about it 
. I mean, we're all about supporting first responders and emergency services, but this takes it to a whole new level... what's next, riding out hurricanes in your van?! 
That's just insane! And the fact that he was able to shelter from all the debris and wind is just... wow. I'm seriously impressed by his bravery.
. The fact that it was just a normal day for him, driving around and dealing with bugs in his van, and then BAM! Tornado hits... it's just too wild 
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. I feel bad for the people who lost their lives in the storm though 
. It's crazy to think about how close that guy came to losing his life and all he thought about was surviving and getting through it as quick as possible