The five-year anniversary of the April 27, 2011, tornado that hit Tuscaloosa and many more towns across the state of Alabama provides us a chance to appreciate how far the city has come in a short time. 

One area in particular that suffered a lot of damage was Forest Lake, the community that sits between 15th Street and Hargrove Road in Tuscaloosa. The residential neighborhood that surrounds the lake was filled with homes and protected by trees much like the name would suggest.

After that EF-4 tornado moved through the heart of Tuscaloosa in 2011, the Forest Lake area became unrecognizable beyond the body of water that still remained.

Now, five years later, the area continues the rebuilding process. Some vacant lots still remain, but there are more signs of progress than destruction. Along with the new housing, there is a beautiful walking/biking path called the City Walk that weaves through the neighborhood.

You can see all of the improvements and growth from the drone video above.

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