(WSBT) Cleanup is underway 24 hours after a tornado destroyed a local town.

A State of Emergency remains in effect for the city of Nappanee after Thursday night's storms.

The tiny community is dealing with the aftermath of one of the strongest tornadoes in this area in years.

The cleanup there is just beginning.

"I believe the city has started to get back on its feet," said Sgt. Tony Slocum of the Indiana State Police. "I've seen shop owners cleaning out their stores."

Power has been restored to many homes. Roads are cleared and some stores have reopened. But just up the street the destruction is unfathomable.

"It feels pretty scary to me," said a young resident.

Even scarier was the situation Bill Anglin and his family found themselves in Thursday night.

"The roof fell in on us, but a chair held it up long enough to help us get out," Anglin explained.

He wasn't hurt but his home is destroyed. For the next few months a recreational vehicle will be his home.

"We're kind of still home I guess,” he said.

The RV was donated by relatives that own Gulf Stream. Unlike Anglin's house and the Gulf Stream plant, it survived the 120 mph winds untouched.

"You just ask yourself how that could happen,” said Anglin.

Overhead doors were ripped off. Aluminum was crumbled and buildings were leveled at all the RV plants.

"It'll vary. Some plants will be up next week. Others will take months," said Slocum.

Franklin Coach — a family-owned business — was destroyed. But some buildings at Fairmont and Gulf Stream are OK and should be open next week.

"That's one of the first things he mentioned. He wanted to get it up and running. I know they are pretty adamant about getting these people to work," said Slocum.

There's still a lot of work ahead for everyone.

"We can replace houses. No one's hurt. It's alright," said Anglin.

Congressman Mark Souder was in Elkhart County to check the damage in his area. He says it's crucial to get employers back on their feet.

"In addition to the direct damage, what do you do when your major employers in a town are destroyed and the people have no source of income?” asked Rep. Souder (R-Ind). “How are they even going to rebuild their homes if we can't get the employers back up and running?"

Souder believes the area will qualify for federal aid, but he's not sure about a figure.