CAIRO — The city of Cairo is continuing to recover after an EF2 tornado touched down Sunday night.

Richard Phillips, director of the Grady County Emergency Management Agency, said he and state EMA officials toured affected areas Tuesday morning and found recovery efforts to be advancing at a satisfactory pace.

“We’re getting in good shape,” Phillips said. “It looks like the private folks are getting some contractors in and getting their debris to the edge of the road. Everything is coming together pretty quick today.”

Crews from Grady EMC and surrounding areas such as the cities of Thomasville and Adel have been working since Sunday night to restore power to the hardest hit areas.

Phillips said crews would continue to work on restoring power throughout the week but he could not give an exact estimate as to when every resident would have their electricity returned because some homes were too heavily damaged to safely restore power.

“If your house is torn up real bad, it’s got to pass code and all of that,” Phillips said. “I hate to set a time limit on some of the homes. As many folks who can get their power back on should have it back up pretty shortly.”

Phillips said roads in affected areas are mostly clear but that people who do not live in the area should stay away as crews work to clear debris and rebuild destroyed power lines.

“Other than folks that were affected, citizens need to stay out of this area until we get it cleaned up so we can get folks back to normalcy as quick as possible,” Phillips said.

School superintendent Kermit Gilliard said classes would resume Wednesday.

County schools were closed Monday and Tuesday as crews worked to restore power at Cairo High School and Southside Elementary.

Gilliard said at this point it did not appear any lost school days would be redone later in the year as spring break was the only time available and many families had already made travel plans.

A Red Cross shelter which opened Monday at the Grady County Agri-Center will remain open for as long as affected residents require food and shelter.

Phillips said affected residents should be mindful of the dropping temperatures expected throughout the week when they consider where they should stay.

“We do have this cold weather coming in,” Phillips said. “Just be sure to get somewhere to stay the next couple of nights.”

LaFaye Copeland, chair of the Grady County Board of Commissioners, asked for residents to encourage affected residents to consider seeking food and shelter at the Agri-Center rather than remaining without heat.

“If you know of anybody that needs help, please send them out,” Copeland said at Tuesday morning’s commission meeting. “The temperature has changed, and it is colder now than it was before.”

Copeland asked on behalf of the board of commissioners for residents to consider volunteering time once the area is safe to traverse.

“I would appreciate anything that any of you can do and pass the word,” Copeland said. “As I’ve said, we are one community and I stick by that. We work together. We make this community stronger and the best community there is.”

The commission chair said she has received calls and texts from citizens asking what can be done to assist in the recovery and said she believed help will be needed cutting down trees once downed power lines are no longer a concern.

Cairo City Manager Chris Addleton estimated approximately 100 homes experienced extensive damage during Sunday’s storm.

A team from the National Weather Service in Tallahassee conducted a survey Monday and determined the tornado touched down at approximately 7:54 p.m. Sunday in southern Cairo and traveled northeast for six minutes before dissipating.

The NWS stated the tornado had approximate wind speeds of 120 miles per hour.