In the absence of any official state or town presence, residents of Monson – among the towns hardest hit by yesterday’s string of deadly tornadoes – have banded together to share information, photographs and advice via a hastily organized Facebook page.

Barbara DiMauro, a Monson resident who emerged from her home last night to find her neighborhood in shambles, said this morning that she has yet to be contacted by any state or local official. DiMauro is the circulation and marketing director for Banker & Tradesman.

A text message DiMauro received from the Facebook group – Monson Tornado Watch 2011 – told her Gov. Deval Patrick was planning to visit the town today.

DiMauro said while her home was largely spared from heavy damage, her neighbors were not as lucky.

"The guy across the street, he was actually in his home when the roof was completely ripped off," DiMauro told Banker & Tradesman. "He hunkered down and made it. A small house up the street that has been vacant for a while is completely flattened. Our neighbor’s huge pirate ship playset is gone."

Photos posted to the Tornado Watch Facebook page illustrate just how extensive and arbitrary the damage is to this tiny community outside of Springfield. Power lines and telephone poles lie in the streets, roofs on otherwise stout brick buildings are missing and downed tree limbs litter the landscape.

One Facebook member posted the following message, attributed to Kathleen Conley Norbut, Monson’s emergency management director:

"It is very important that people do NOT go into the areas most affected as this impedes the response efforts. We need to assess damage, professionals need to do their jobs and we can begin the recovery phase with volunteer help….perhaps fundraisers or replacement of goods lost to those impacted. The town of Monson has a Medical Reserve Corps and we have people staffing the Quarry Hill Shelter for those who choose to go there tonight. The America Red Cross is providing cots, coffee and on its way with food. Donations to the American Red Cross are very helpful for this disaster and others in our region and nationally."

DiMauro said the violent storms virtually wiped out the small community.

"There are two churches in town and they’re heavily damaged," she said. "The only grocery store is flattened."

The practical implications of the storm are still to be determined. DiMauro said she has yet to be in touch with her insurance agent, and has not seen any signs of insurance agents or appraisal teams visiting her neighbors. The home across the way that had its roof ripped off had been on the market for a while, DiMauro said. She was uncertain what the owner’s plans were now.

DiMauro herself said she was also looking to sell her own home. After the storm, however, she was less certain. Rather than forcing her away from her small community, she said the storm served to remind her of what she liked about the small, rural town. The sense of community fostered by the Facebook group also helped.

"After all this, I don’t know how I’d feel about leaving," DiMauro said.