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Subscribe to RSSAt least 12 people were killed after devastating tornadoes and storms steamrolled through the Midwest and South. NBC's Lester Holt and TODAY's Al Roker report.
Updated at 8:45 p.m. ET: HARRISBURG, Ill. -- At least 12 people were killed -- including several crushed by debris -- as tornadoes marched across the Midwest, flattening parts of several towns including the tourist hub of Branson, Mo.
Hardest hit was Harrisburg, where four women and two men died, some 100 others were injured and more than 200 homes were destroyed or damaged.
Most if not all the Harrisburg dead were killed by a home tossed atop their own property early Wednesday, a witness said.
Whitney Curtis / Getty Images
Steve McDonald stands among debris from the home of his mother-in-law, Mary Osman, who was killed in the twister that raced through Harrisburg, Ill.
"It's a house on top of a house," said Mike Hancock, 29, who with several others tried to rescue the victims. "We crawled in there as much as we could. Then there wasn't enough stability, the whole foundation was shaking. We had to get out of there," he said.
"We have devastation in our community like we've never seen," Mayor Eric Gregg told a press conference, where officials said the twister had peak winds of 170 mph, making it an EF-4 on the 1-5 scale used by the National Weather Service, with 5 being the most severe.
"There are hundreds of homes damaged, millions of dollars in damage," he added. "The hospital is severely damaged. There's a mall with 10 stores that was destroyed."
Forecasters warned more twisters could strike the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians through Wednesday evening as the storm system moved east.
Rock Center reports on the aftermath of the powerful tornadoes that ripped through America's heartland, killing at least nine people. The twisters blew houses on top of each other and toppled buildings as they hopscotched through parts of Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. NBC's Lester Holt and The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore report from Harrisburg, Ill., one of the towns hit hardest by the tornadoes.
Three other deaths were reported in Missouri, where a suspected tornado hit a mobile home park outside the town of Buffalo. One person died there and around a dozen people were injured. Two others died in the Cassville and Puxico areas of Missouri, state officials said. Three deaths were reported in eastern Tennessee, The Associated Press reported.
In Harrisburg, police issued a curfew overnight and the area most impacted was evacuated as a precaution. Some 3,300 customers were without power in the town of about 10,000.
In Kansas, 12 people were injured when a EF-2 tornado made a five-mile-long run through Harveyville on Tuesday night, officials said. Three of the injured were in critical condition, and 40 percent of the town suffered damage.
NBC affiliate KSHB TV reported that an apartment complex and a church were among the damaged buildings in the town of about 250 people.
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback issued a disaster declaration for the area, parts of which were without power.
NBC's Al Roker reports on the unseasonable tornadoes that ripped through Illinois.
Other hard-hit areas included Branson and Lebanon in Missouri.
In Branson, 32 people were treated at one hospital for injuries, mostly cuts and bruises. A tornado moved through downtown overnight, heavily damaging the city's famous theaters and hopscotching up Highway 76, uprooting road signs and scattering debris.
Officials on Wednesday gave the tornado a preliminary rating of EF-2 and said it ran an 8- to 10-mile path.
The injuries could have been far worse had the storm hit next week, when the tourist season picks up.
"If it was a week later, it'd be a different story," said Bill Tirone, assistant general manager for the 530-room Hilton and adjacent Branson Convention Center, where windows were shattered and some rooms had furniture sucked away by high winds. Hotel workers were able to get all guests to safety as the storm raged.
Mark Schiefelbein / AP
Storm debris is piled near the entrance to the Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater in Branson, Mo., on Wednesday.
John Moore, owner of the damaged Cakes-n-Creams '50s Diner, said the apparent twister appeared to "jump side to side" as it moved down the entertainment district, right through the convention center, across a lake and into a housing division.
"The theater next to me kind of exploded. It went everywhere. The hotels on the two sides of me lost their roofs. Power lines are down. Windows are blown out," Moore said. "There's major, major destruction. There has to be millions dollars of damage all down the strip."
Jennifer Verhaalen said she saw a white funnel cloud followed by a wall of rain as the storm closed in on the town around 1 a.m.
She said she retreated to a back bedroom with her husband as the storm slammed into two hotel buildings, tearing the roof off one.
Across the road, a strip mall lay in tatters, its roof missing and several walls collapsed.
Branson has long been a touristy outdoor destination for visitors who came to see the beauty of the surrounding Ozarks. But the city rose to prominence in the 1990s largely due to the theater district, where venues featured the star power of country music and celebrities including the Osmonds and Andy Williams.
John Hanna / AP
Damage in Harveyville, Kan., includes this home.
In Lebanon, a tornado was reported at 12:25 a.m. and numerous reports came in of damage in the area. A tractor-trailer was reported to have been blown off Interstate 44 nearby.
Newburgh, Ind., also saw damage from severe storms. Several homes and a business were hit, though no injuries or deaths were reported.
The National Weather Service said it was forecasting more tornadoes on Wednesday, including "one or two possibly strong" ones as well as "damaging wind over parts of the Tennessee Valley to southern Appalachians" into the evening.
The system also skirted northern Arkansas, bringing gusts of up to 60 miles per hour in the northwest. A wall cloud was reported in Cherokee Village, where trees were scattered along roads, the weather service said. Residents of Clay County in northeastern Arkansas reported hail the size of golf balls, and similar-sized hail was reported in Mountain Home.
Mathew Fowler / Harveyville Gazette via AP
Damage is seen Wednesday morning in Harveyville, Kan., after an apparent tornado passed through Tuesday night.
In northern Oklahoma, gusts of up to 80 mph flipped trailers and damaged homes near Cherokee.
Tornado season normally starts in March, but it isn't unusual to see severe storms earlier in the year. Forecasters have a particularly difficult time assessing how serious a season will be in part because tornadoes are so unpredictable. This year, two people were killed by separate tornadoes in Alabama in January, and preliminary reports show 95 tornadoes struck that month.
NBC News, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Kansas & Missouri,
Living through a blizzard right now. I can't imagine what you folks had to endure. Does'nt even compare. My thoughts and prayers are with one and all.
Thank you for thinking of us,although I wouldn't want to be in a bona fide blizzard either.When all is said and done the death tolls from winter storms are usually higher than from tornadoes and other violent thunderstorms.Be safe.
Knocked my TV service out. Damn. Lucky.
Looking like an early start to bad storm season, hope it isn't a very deadly one.
Yep RwEvans I agree. Here we go again. You can lose everything in an instant.
Thoughts and prayers to those affected , now please dont ask for no Federal Money . just pull yourself up by the bootstraps
P S There is no Climate Change , move along folks nothing happening here
Meanwhile out west....its a bit chilly, 60 or so, might need a wind breaker....havent had a noticeable earthquake for a few years now....why do people live in the midwest/south again?
With all due respects, we didn't have any blizzards, our winter here in this area has been dry and unusually warm.
sez me- this isn't too unusual for us, just a bit earlier than most years.
moheeheeko- it's already in the 50's for us this morning. unusual for february, but many here like the changing seasons. snow in the winter, hot in the summer. we have a saying- if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes- it will change!
Luckily no major damage and no injuries for me or anyone I know. One good thing about tornados vs. other weather disasters- it's usually a localized issue and people nearby can quickly help out.
Over here we're having really bad winter weather -- heavy snow with freezing rain and slee,t and schools are closed today (yay). It's so weird that while parts of the country are having wintery weather, others are having severe thunderstorms and tornadoes! Hope no one else gets killed and that this stops soon -- it's so sad.
Sad part is this is only the beginning of the tornado season.....
This is Gods revenge for the people of Michigan and Arizona for failing to support Rick Santorum. Unless we return the control of America to a white Christian nutbag this retribution will continue. It's either that or the bizarre weather.
Signed, FSM.
Sending out good thoughts and prayers to all who are affected by this terrible storm. Keep safe, stay warm, hold on to those who love you, and know that things will return to normal sometime soon.
peace
Allright then guys, have fun picking up your house with shovels, im gonna finish planning my weekend at the beach, supposed to be pretty nice this weekend.
@Moheeheeko, The attitude you display is why not everyone wants to live out west. You certainly seem to be a very uncaring person. You plan your weekend and meanwhile the hard working people of the midwest will take care of their own.
Hey Moheeheeko have fun with higher food and fuel prices!
I'll take the weather, thank you...
I'm from Kansas and last night a storm with strong rotation (I think there may have even been a wall cloud) went over my hometown. A tornado warning was issued, but the sirens malfunctioned and never went off and there was a playoff basketball game happening at the high school. Thank God people were paying attention to the weather and got everyone to safety. And thank goodness nothing ever touched down. I'm sure there were people who had no idea what was going on and were going about their evenings.
I do care, I care that dumb people continue to live in TORNADO ALLEY, siphoning off funds from my taxes so they can get a new house each year.
And the "Storm Chasers" still have the TIV in the garage!
A messenger;
When tornado can rip apart a steel reinforced concrete structure like it did in Joplin last may, tell me genius, What kind of homes do you think will stand up to one? No structure yet guilt be man can withstand the forces of the upper tier of tornado's. @!$%# up.
@Moheeko - as opposed to the wildfires and mudslides that siphon off my tax dollars every year? How about simply being California, siphoning off our tax dollars every year? There are disasters, natural and manmade that effect every part of the country, no one is immune.
Moheeheeko- And our tax dollars have to pay for your earthquakes and wildfires (if you're in cali) and for your hurricanes (if you're on the east coast).
Wildfire season for 2011 ~1 billion in damages
Tornado season for 2011 ~ 27 billion in damages
ill take burning grass over leveled homes any day of the week.
Moheeheeko, you do realize the vast majority of the money that went to tornado damage last year was for the outbreak in the South, right? That's not a typical Tornado alley area. And I'll have you know, lots of people have to put in their own money into rebuilding and DON'T get government help at all. That's why there's still vacant lots in Greensburg. Not because people didn't want to return, they just couldn't get the assistance to build a new home. Jerk.
Can someone tell the Earth that it is past time for her to break California off?
Instead of building a wall to keep immigrants out, we need a wall to keep californians from infecting the rest of the U.S.
I'll take tornados/hurricanes/blizzards/ice storms (all at once!) if that means californians would just *poof* disappear.
CaptBrngDwn, I would rather wall off Texas and most of the southern states to keep them from infecting the rest of their country with rabid right wing hate and bigotry backed by erroneous biblical beliefs.
But anyway, this is way early for storms like this and if this size to be hitting the midwest. I know as I have lived here for over 40 years. It's FEBRURARY for gods sake. This was a huge, powerful and fast storm as it traveled at speeds up to 70 MPH. Just those wends would be enough to destroy many buildings. If it is happening now it is going to get MUCH worse over the next couple of months. And you can keep your head in the sand all you want but over the last couple of years things have been getting worse with the weather and it IS related to climate change.
Mama use to say wish in one hand and drop a load in the other, see which one fills up faster.
Moheeheeko: Natural disasters happen everywhere, regardless of where people live. While I would not pick a tornado zone as my personal settlement of choice, it does not mean that those who live there are ASKING for touble. Hurricane zone, earthquake zone, tornado zone, flood/flashflood zone, landslide zone, wildfire zone, tsunami zone, blizzard zone... Take your pick; there is always something, no matter where you are. I can think of much worse things for our tax dollars to be spent on, and if you are really that concerned about the government helping out your fellow Americans in times of disaster, then shame on you.
How ignorant do you have to be to not realise that insurance companies pay for most tornado damage, federal disaster funds help house displaced people but nobody gets a free house out of the deal and those funds probably wont happen because the damage is in so many different unrelated areas, except my families old neighborhood in Harrisburg IL, but even that is not a lock. When Petersburg Indiana was leveled, it did not qualify.
Also, where the hell do you think the food you eat comes from? Where do you think the factories are that you dont want in your back yards? Where do you think the oil and coal comes from that heat or cools your home?
Exactly how ignorant are some of you?
You realise only a bigot could say that, right?
HEY NOBRAINO formaly Moheeheeko, Just what do you suggest the Midwesetern people do Killuh? Should they pick up and totaly leave behind their lives just because you think that you have it bad when people need to get MUCH DESERVED FUNDS to get their lives back in order? Do you even know how many people live in these areas in the WHOLE MIDWEST AND THE SOUTH AS WELL where not only do parts of the South live in Tornado alley but have to endure the Hurricanes as well, so i guess all of the South should also pick up and relocate so you won't have to take what is just apart of life when these things happen! Not only that Mister Nobraineeo, the population far exceeds the amount of people who are affected by these storms and THEIR LIVES ARE TORN APART in a way that aparently you surely have never experienced because had you ever been through ANY kind of Severe Trauma from some type of Natural Disaster you and your HEARTLESS and very SELFISH UNCARING comments about whats being taken from you just shows "That you're no true American and what comes around will surely make it's way around to you someday and then you will be looking for the help that will be needed to see you through whatever GOD has planned for you, you made a very serious mistake my friend with what you had to say and payback is a BETCH".........I bet you don't feel one ounce of shame for the way you see things, do you? UH OOO, not looking good for you as i know how hate and crimes and anything equal to only thinking of yourself will someday come back so as to teach you how a real Free Human being thinks about and LEARNS about how God giveth and taketh away, your on that list buddy, and you will be wishing and be thanful that all you had were just a few tax problems because a family needed a home to live back in from being DISPLACED! ........................................NOTHING BUT AN OPINION FROM A MAN WHO IS NOW 46 YEARS OLD AND WENT THROUGH HIS FIRST HURRICANE WHEN I WAS 7 OR 8 YEARS OLD! As much as i wanted to complain everytime this has happened over my life and it's so many now that i would have to check the list to know just how many i've been through and Being as i Live in The Great State of Louisiana i want to add that the last 3 Hurricanes we went through, 2 of them unloaded their FURY ON US WITHIN A 2 WEEK PERIOD with Gustav coming NOT NEAR LONG ENOUGH AFTER FOR MOST TO EVEN RECOVER IN MANY WAYS FROM THE 2 PREVIOUS ONES! BUT I'M ALIVE AND SO MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES, HOMES AND SO MUCH MORE THAN I DID AND I WILL ONLY SAY THAT I TOO LOST THINGS BUT THEY WERE SO SMALL COMPARED TO MANY MANY OTHERS AND I THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE ONCE AGAIN! Whoever you are behind the poster name that you use, you should be ashamed of yourself and as i said earlier, "what comes around goes around" and none of us are excluded from that FACT!!!!..................................PRAYING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WENT THROUGH THESE STORMS FROM KANSAS TO ILLINOIS AND EVERYWHERE IN BETWEEN, PLEASE GET WELL SOON AND I TRULY HOPE THAT MANY COME TO THE AID OF THEIR FELLOW AMERICANS! GOB BLESS YOU, M.Stuart, Baton Rouge, La. USA................................
its not an early start as some have mentioned the tornado season never stopped weather patterns are only going to get worse or am i the only one noticing this and it is a result of the way our planet is being treated
I'm so sorry for all these people. Loss of loved ones, and destruction of property due to any cause is heart wrenching. Tornado's though are a gwaddamn terrifying, and indescriable experience. In my lifetime I have had to run from 'em, sit huddled with my family and neighbors in a pit in the ground, while one of the wicked sons-a-bitches trounced about above us, and once lay in a roadside ditch gripped to an outcropped rock while one whizzed around. I've cleaned up after the trashy bastards too. Sons-a-bitches always bring with 'em lightning, thunder, hail and rain, along with their gwaddamn twisting winds. I hate the no good sons-a-bitches. I have entertained strong notions of fighting 'em, but my fear of the lightning and hail always overcame my brief fits of bravery. While I extend empathy and sorrow for all those suffering from the effects of these storms I cannot help but wish these gwaddamn freaks of nature were reassigned to the netherlands of hell. We don't need 'em. I hate tornado's.
This is Gods revenge for the people of Michigan and Arizona for failing to support Rick Santorum
If you are being sarcastic,you forgot to put the words (SAC) at the end of the sentence. However, if you mean this words, I suggest that you go back to school and read about climate change.
Even though the Republicans still deny it, the reason for having stronger tornadoes, wild warm winters and droughts, is climate change.
I am not going to call you any names. I hope, however, that you were being sarcastic.
Global warming seems to have moved a lot of tornados out of Texas. I won't say that I miss them.
Yeah, the warming is probably going to move the worst storms east. The west won't get out of this without paying the bill though; geologic history tells us we are in for longer and more severe droughts.
Either that, or God is just punishing the midwest for being red.
Personally, I think it's global warming adding energy to the weather system, myself.
Global warming if it is occuring is natural. How do you think the earth recovered from all the ice ages we have had according to core samples and the gazillion crater lakes we have in the US and Europe? Folks, if the mean temp of both polar ice caps rises by over 2 degrees centigrade the entire planet would be under water. We are nowhere near that. In fact the NOAA guys say we have to start worrying about possible cooling now as their temp data over the last decade indicates cooling. This chicken little act by the main stream media that has been going on since the late 90's is to condition you to accept the destruction of US and W European manufacturing, as to save the planet, when in fact it is their cover for just shipping it out east. Cap and Trade won't clean the air or stop global cooling if manufacturing was indeed contributing to it, as the policy would have western corporations sell off their carbon credits to Chinese and Russian manufacturers so they could keep polluting the air at even a higher rate than before. Think about it. The western corporations make billions in selling off their carbon credits and the eastern corporations get the manufacturing, but that is right the eastern corporations might be subsidiaries of the western corporations, so the fat cats in the US make a bundle of $$$$$$$$$ while more Americans are out of work!!!!!!!
lolol that's the first time I've had a comment collapsed by the community.
I can't believe my californian comment was so offensive. People need thicker skins 'round here.
December 21 when nature takes back............................................YEAH!!!!
yeppers, on December 21, might be December 22...what happens when people predict the end of the world?......NOTHING!!!...freaking Y2K all over again...blah....
I don't know about that doomsday thing, but something tells me this is going to be a weird weather year - first the winter that wasn't, and now tornadoes starting in February!
To everyone who thinks the world will end on 12/21: Please send me your stuff.
First off, a LOT of work spanning many years went into making sure that you could laugh off the Y2K issue. It was a man-made issue, and to discount it entirely is a huge disservice to the IT people who put in 60-70 hour weeks for months to avert it. This is mother nature's own, and completely different.
It has been studied and proven that the earth's weather is affected by the solar cycles. Right now the sun is heading towards the pinnacle of one of the most active cycles it's had in some time. Estimates are predicting that it will reach it's peak sometime towards the end of 2012 or the spring of 2013 (which does fit in nicely for the doomsayers who believe the whole "Mayan Prophecy" - that even the Mayans were apparently unaware of!). The sun has an 11 year cycle, and if you look at the last 2 years, it's clear things have been picking up. I have no doubt this year and possible next year will be a heck of a ride weatherwise, and then it should calm back down again as normal. The end of the world? Eh, not exactly - but with that being said, it still doesn't hurt to be prepared for a disaster in your area just in case.
MonkeyMo,
I wouldn't be so sure that the Mayans, Egyptians or even the ancient Celts were not aware of the suns cycles
For those that can't believe that tornados started in February, remember, if this were not leap year, it would be March. March is typically one of the most active for tornados in the Midwest.
rha - I agree with you. To each his own on the doomsday thoughts and what you think but I'd say we are in for a wild ride this spring. Weather everywhere has been crazy or way off norm this winter and last year for that matter. I could be wrong but I'm expecting last years tornado outbreaks and severe weather to be mild compared to what is going to happen this spring. Hold on tight!
Same goes for the climate change and global warming debate whatever you think is fine but something is clearly going on, hopefully that much we can all agree on. And Monkey is right, we should all try to be prepared in some way regardless, even if it just for a few days. Doesn't hurt.
Best of luck to those who lost loved ones or are starting the clean up process.
It is time
the best of all of this is on december 22 or 23, the folks who thought the world was going to end are going to be in the malls and wal-marts running around screaming. "OMG OMG DIDN'T BUY PRESENTS FOR CHRISTMAS, THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS ENDING OMG OMG..hey look 'end of the world' back packs on sale. awesome."
Hey you "global warming" nutcases... Climate change has been happening for millions upon millions of years.
Google the 1884 Enigma Outbreak, 1890 St. Louis January tornado, 1967 St. Louis tornado outbreak, and the many other instances of tornados occurring early in the year during recorded history.
If you mind can't comprehend that there are probably countless other instances of January, February tornados when North America was relatively unpopulated and during pre-recorded history era...well, you need to wise the hell up!
Kansas gets winter tornadoes all the time. I remember one that happened on New Year's day a few years back. It didn't do much damage, it wasn't very strong, but it did kick of a crazy year of tornadic weather for us. I do believe that was the same year that Greensburg happened.
Global warming is a fact (1 deg F since the 1970s alone) ... whether or not it has any significant effect on tornadoes is still uncertain. Tornadoes tend to occur in the spring when warm and cold air masses collide; not during the hottest weather.
MonkeyMo;
Apparently, your knowledge of Mayan Astronomy is lacking. The Maya were acutely aware of planetary movements, the movement and position of other galaxies, the earth position in space and their predictions were made based on very precise mathematics. They didn't just study time and space, they were obsessed with it. Their calender and it's equations were produced long ago, with accuracy rivaled by few today. The sun has several "cycles" the 11 year cycle you mention fits within a longer 52 year solar cycle, this within a 520 year cycle and that with an even longer 5200 year cycle, all known to the Maya, long before European and modern science. Modern astronomy has only recently "discovered" this 5200 year cycle. Their predictive position tables of planetary positions, paths and times of comet cycles, galactic positions, planetary alignments, and the approaching grand alignment of the earth, sun and the Great rift n the center of our galaxy, are as precise as anything modern science can calculate.
Contrary to popular belief, the Mayan calender does not end on 21 Dec, 2012, It's the end of the current long count cycle of 5200 years. A time of great change and possible calamity. This can come in many forms, nature disasters, man made disasters, economic collapse, war, or even a comet strike. The fact that in the years leading up to this point the world seems to be going to hell in a hand bag only reinforces this view. Will the physically world end, I don't think so. Is it possible a life changing series of events might change to world as we know it?,, That seems quite possible. After all, The Maya saw things in the past that their system predicted far in advance, thus, that lead them to believe so of the current cycle. Unless you can disprove their system, the smart money is on it being accurate, as it has been since it's creation.
I kind of thought that MonkeyMo meant that the Mayan were unaware of their "end of the world" prediction that has been attributed to them.
Whos unaware? they had no concept of other galaxies, just our own, to them all the points of light were the same except the planets.
In the 10th century, a Persian astronomer made the earliest recorded observation of the Andromeda Galaxy, describing it as a "small cloud, this ios the first time another galaxy was identified. Not until the telescope did we truly understand what we were looking at.
The Mayans were amazing, but they had no idea about other galaxies.
they ran out of writing material
My calender ends on december 31. Doesn't mean the world's ending, just the calender. The next day the calender starts back at the beginning- January 1
Spur an increase? Oh Please.... spare us the drama. People intent on committing this type of violence will find plenty of ways to do so. We already know many of these crimes are planned out well ahead of time. A law like this does nothing to prevent it from getting worse. We better look at the root of the problem. It's what's inside that is the problem, not the tool used. Why do so many of these kids feel they have to take steps like this to get attention? Well, for one, the break-down of the traditional family unit is really starting to rear it's ugly head. Yes, character does matter.
What does the twisters have to do with guns? You going to shoot at the high winds and rain drops to scare it away?
wrong thread?
John, drink your coffee before posting on more than one story at a time...or use a map.
(Breaking NEWS) One person dead, and two injured in auto accident on highway. Details NEXT on MSNBC. OH MY
Someone needs to investigate why God has it in for Trailer parks! We need a federal grant to study the problem.
I don't think God has it in for anyone, the fact is that trailors in general just aren't soild buildings, they are little more than tractor trailers sitting out in the open, and being in "parks" there are more than one together on a flat plot of land. The wind can easily get under the trailors and without them having a real foundation they are torn apart...study finished, i'll bill ya later.
RwEvans:
The government would have probably spent millions of dollars for your assessment. : )
Hoping those without electricity were prepared. it is amazing how much I missed it when we went without for 3 weeks.
If you get rid of all the trailer parks, do tornadoes go away?
i've seen houses blown away... that where right next to trailers parks...but it does seem like trailers are targets...when you read about storm damage...
Johnny Fever on WKRP said it best...."Andy, God hates trailers!".
the old "joke" in Michigan was that everybody knows that mobile homes cause tornadoes. This is, however, not a joking matter. Just seems like a disproportionate number of injuries and deaths occur in mobile home parks.
I used to work with a woman who truly believed that trailer parks attracted tornadoes. She wasn't kidding either........
I had worked that out about 20 years ago on a piece of paper. A little steel and a mess of concrete. The steel would have to be done in the factory! That thought gave me reason to pause. If the "government got wind of this idea they might just, as they are prone to do, pass another law mandating that the steel be added which would raise the price of all trailers. There would not be a choice for the consumer. I built a model and had it wind-tested. It worked at wind speeds up to 180 MPH. However the system also demanded a lot of "concrete." That too is very costly at about $80.00 a yard. Maybe another good idea where the cost is too prohibitive. Very simple: steel, wire cables, anchors, and a lot of concrete.
I'm looking at pictures of houses that are only partly there. Thought I read 1 dead from trailor park, 12-13 more dead from people in housing communities.
A quick recovery to the suffering families.
Couldnt trailer parks invest in building some sort of underground shelter? Wouldnt have to be anything fancy, just big enough to hold the people who reside in said trailer park. These people are like sitting ducks, no protection, just waiting to (hopefully) ride out the next storm.
SOOOO..Glad god KEEPS getting rid of the TRASH! THANK YOU JESUS,ALLAH... WHOEVER!
douglas;
Sooooo glad when God gets around to you. You are one of those morons who watches too much Jerry Springer.
Haaaah! Not this people, the government is bad to help. Santorum and The GOP should dig-deep and help. They are not the Government, Oh! But they are, they work for the government and are campigning hard to continue working for the "BAD USA GOVERNMENT"
So retarded!
How come it's not God's wrath this time, but any gay soldier killed in the stupid wars brought about by the GOP and Bush it is!
Were does MSNBC come up with all of these vitally important news spins, like this one. After all, NOTHING ELSE OF IMPORTANCE is happening. These left wing media stories are worse then the stories on National Enquirer and far less educating.
Some of us have family and friends out that way, slick. Maybe that's something you can't relate to (having family and FRIENDS).
Greg not sure why a death and damage from a tornado isn't important to you. Would you rather they just report about all the lying cheating politicians all the time? They are all worthless and not worth any stories. I guess being from Joplin, MO though I find a story about a tornado a little differnet then most. Maybe if you had your town destroyed or people you knew killed in something like this you wouldn't be such a heartless a**!!!
I bet there are plenty of other "important" stories you can read if you didn't click on this one Dingle Berry.
troll much greg?...
Left wing media? Man, you can quit spouting that lie. Yes it's a lie, look at the talk shows on Sunday AM, it's always filled with the windbags from the pugbag side.
Another person with no compassion in his/her heart......what a sad existence!
I can't believe you people.....why is it everything is political????
My prayers to all the people affected by the storms....Bless you all!!! This is devastating!! God bless you all!!!!
Sally Ann....Bait, hook and sinker....probably broke the line, 20 lb. test, too
And FOX News isn't reporting the weather??
Greg Berry,
Stories like this one are important because our fellow Americans have been seriously affected. You aren't forced to read and comment on every story. If it's one that doesn't interest you, then skip it.
Regardless of ones political affiliation, we DO care about each other as human beings. Let me put it this way, if you were to get into a bad auto accident, would you quiz the personnel that was working to save your life? Would you refuse their help if they were liberals? I bet you wouldn't, so don't bring politics into this.
My heart goes out to those afflicted, and I'm praying for those dealing with the blizzard. I hope that each and every one of you stay safe and weather this out.
My condolences to all Democrats involved.
My condolences to EVERYONE involved. Seems when people bleed it's all red. Pity some narrow minded brainwashed political Brahmin don't get that, ain't that right marinmom?
Do tornados really SLAM? They look like they suck and spin.
They suck, spin, and then slam debri into everything! Example...a few years back, my greenhouse was sucked up, spun around and slammed into my fence. :(
yes they slam...like a freight train....if your fortunate, you'll never have to find out first hand.
greg berry:
Ask the folks who died if they slam or not.
GENERALLY, Tornados like to follow a path of least resistance (please notice I said "Generally"). The smaller the tornado, the more likely this is to be true. Given a choice between a large urban area or a trailer park, the F1 & F2 tornados will opt for the trailer park. The larger tornados (F3 and up) go whereever they want, and don't care what they take out. This study was in a National Geographic quite a few years ago.
My thought and prayers go out to all those killed, injured, and displaced.
I am here in CT. Today, we are having a snow/sleet/freezing rain event. I will gladly take this over tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.
"Given a choice between a large, urban area and a trailer park, the F1 and F2 tornadoes will opt for the trailer park"
Ehhh....I wouldn't be so sure on that. Having lived most of my life in the midwest, I've seen plenty of F0, F1, and F2s completely miss trailer parks and hit the housing areas. Just ask residents of cities like OKC and Wichita and Topeka about that.
You missed the "generally" part didn't you?
Capt;
Tornado's follow no predictable path, regardless of the storms strength. they are the lest predictable of all weather related phenomena. There movement is completely random, they will follow a general course, but this can wander all over the map or they might run a completely straight line. They may touch down and dance hitting one area and missing others, or they can stay down and clear a path like the one last may in Joplin. Completely missing two trailer parks, by the way, and destroy everything in it's path, including a six story steel reinforced concrete hospital. They only thing certain about tornado's is when they occur, they are going to tear up anything they touch.
You just flat out missed the sarcasm.
He said tornados GENERALLY take the path of least resistance.
She missed the point and reinforced what he said about tornado's GENERALLY taking the path of least resistance.
I pointed it out.
You missed my sarcasm.
I know tornados are unpredictable. But GENERALLY, they will take the easier path, but not always.
*sigh* GENERALLY people on here on faster on the sarcasm uptake, but not today.
The prevailing winds are usually from the southwest, and the upper winds direct the storm.
(BREAKING NEWS ALERT) Next on MSNBC, Man gets drunk and falls over in yard, No one gives a darn about it. He sleeps it off until the dog pees on him and wakes him up.
Whatsa matter, greag? Not getting any? Faux is apparently missing an idiot.
@ greg...You posted five comments, on an article that doesn't interest you. Learn to change the channel, if you don't like the program.
Hey Custom, he's probably just one of those "am I ugly" girls on Youtube looking for attention because he's just sad and lonely.
Good possibility, Keith. I'm headed that way tomorrow, myself. If my flight can go out (leaving from Manchester, NH, big snowstorm headed our way).
i'm with keith on this.
or maybe the dog woke him up...
plain bob:
Spot on! LOL!
Nashville, be on the look out.
No problem here, already passed by us at about noon, city of C-ville and Fort Campbell blew sirens for about 20 minutes that was it. Might be more tonight, but I doubt it.
Hope all turn out well for the victims of this weather system. Such a turbulent weather pattern lately. God bless the victims family and may they rest in peace.
Correction, Al...with all due respect, It was in Buffalo Missouri that had the fatality.
greg berry,...you are an idiot!
3 are dead in Harrisburg Il. several buildings gone one of the highways in is closed. Some damage to the medical center
Oh my god! A tornado in Kansas? Is Dorthy okay?
She's fine she has Courage
i think that was the lion...
Dorothy is fine, but Toto was totalled.
Really?!?! This is a humorous thing to you? Is it funny to you that people lost all their possessions? And with our economy the way it is, things aren't bad enough? Now to have to re-build their lives from scratch?? So you make jokes b/c we should be used to tornadoes?? Do you think the news shouldn't cover earthquakes in California b/c they're used to it there? Shouldn't cover awful blizzards up north or in Chicago or on the East Coast b/c they're used to it? Hurricanes down south or east shouldn't get coverage? Good luck to you all if you're home is destroyed, by a fire, earthquake, blizzard, hurricane, whatever...... You think you and your families are all exempt of natural disasters?? You think only us Kansans'/mid-westerners suffer disasters??? Hope for mercy on your loved ones if a tragedy should strike your homes.
you can dwell on the bad...it won't make it any better...sure it's a sad deal ...now back to oz...
@2boysmama---
I grew up in KS, so I am more than a little familiar with tornadoes. You can laugh or you can cry ... it changes nothing. I prefer laughter.
"Life is a comedy to those who think and a tragedy to those who feel." ---Horace Walpole
2boysmomma...you obviously aren't Irish! My grandfather always told us "If we survive this think of what a great story it will make...".
Pat, Denver, Plain....perhaps you have lived in or more likely near a disaster area and feel that entitles you to make those kind of holy, righteous, 'you're not looking on the bright side' type of comments--but you obviously haven't been actually "hit." Twoboysmama is absolutely correct. Until you have LOST EVERYTHING, ACTUALLY, have walked in another's shoes (not just "lived in or near a catastrophic area"), please don't presume to understand, or worse-think that gives you bragging rights! I actually lived through a catastrophe-lost everything natural disaster, and had the "keep your chin up" attitude; we had a lot of great friends and acquaintances who offered/gave help...and still, somewhere in the 20-year process that it took (takes) to "get back to 'normal'" -- you develop a tendency to "see things differently" (i.e., you lose the rosy-colored glasses-whether you want to or not). And that has nothing to do with bitterness; and I am extremely grateful every single day of my life. Those sentiments do, however, have everything to do with "reality." Until you ACTUALLY walk in another's shoes you have absolutely no understanding! Oh and Pat, for the record, I am Irish! (oh brother!)
Blessings to the victims and families. May your path back to normalcy be as quick as possible.
2boysmama and anonymous12345678900,
When the hurricaine last summer hit the northeast, many folks here called it "no big thing." It ain't no big thing to be in, that's for sure. When there were stories about people having no power for weeks on end, many folks on here said "quit whining." I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are a lot of jerks here on newsvine who can't see past what is happening to them here and now.
anonymous---
With all due respect, sir (or madam), you have no knowledge of the tragedies I have witnessed and endured, and no standing to criticize how I choose to deal with them.
@Pragmatic - well said!!!!!
anonymous12345678900 and Pragmatic, well said. Also, 2boysmama as well. My sincerest sympathies to those who lost loved ones. And to all who have to rebuild, hang in there as best you can and hang on to each other. Bless you all.
Debbie Downer couldn't have said it better...
Branson, Missouri also got hit. Several yrs ago, was there on vacation, real nice town, country music halls, lots of entertainment to take advantage of. Hope nobody got hurt there.
I misread at first, I though it said tomatoes! I was like, attack of the killer tomatoes or what?
So Greg apparently you have no heart - no brain - just a big mouth - and apparently nothing better to do than post incredibly stupid comments. In the middle of the night on February 2, 2007, tornadoes ripped through Central Florida - one right where I live - much destruction and death - about 20 died if memory serves - one in particular was my youngest son's close friend's cousin - she was sucked out of her home when it hit - and they found her body impaled on a tree - it was a truly frightening night for so many people. So here's what you need to do - go back in that deep dark hole you crawled out of and stay there.
My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by the storms.
Tornados are much scarrier than earthquakes but the worst is flimsy construction of a building
No way.With a tornado you have some warning.Even if you didn't know definitely that a tornado was going to develop exactly where you are, if you've been listening to weather reports you know that there is a chance of that happening before it does.
Earthquakes are just creepy and the stuff nightmares are made of, the way they sneak up on unsuspecting people with no warning.You can't see them coming, you can't hear them until it's too late.My brother survived the Loma Prieta Quake in 1989.He was in school at Stanford at the time, and was in the library.When the quake hit it toppled the bookcases in the library like dominoes.For something as monstrous as some earthquakes to attack people with no warning is the most cowardly, evil thing I can imagine.
What's the difference between golf ball size hail and half dollar size hail????? Is one round the other flat??
Half-dollar size hail is bigger than golf ball size hail.
greg berry - I live in Oklahoma where we have tornados all the time. They are nothing to mess with. I do not fear tornados, I respect them. I know what they are capable of doing. Trailer homes have nothing to do with what God has against them. Million dollar homes are blown away just the same as a trailer. I can't believe you are so stupid. Where is your compassion for less fortunate people. As JH1973 said, you are an a$$.
Well sad, get it? I truly respect anyone with compassion.
Some of you posters are such jerks! This morning several families are mourning the loss of loved ones, many others are now homeless and you are cracking jokes about it or complaining that this tragedy is taking up too much valuable news time. No one is asking you to care, but is it too much to ask that you keep your sarcastic and hurtful comments to yourself??
Just ignore these idiots Momma .....you getting upset is exactly what they are looking for. Prayers to all you folks out there. I saw the destruction in Joplin ....cant even imagine
Well said Midwest Momma! Some of us do not realize how lucky we are to be alive today. I'm enjoying sunshine, 15 degrees and skiff of snow on the ground. Thanking the Lord for a beautiful day and praying for those who have lost loved ones and all their worldly possessions.
There are some who are praying for you and those who lost loved ones. Tornadoes are no joke.
I am not looking forward to this by any means. I live in Alabama and it seems everytime tornado's hit the Midwest they always target us next. We've definately had bad luck with our share of tornado's. Thinking its gonna be a rough tornado season for us this year and I'm not a fan of that. My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this outbreak, I understand what all of you are going through...
Tiffany--I sympathize with you. I lived in Alabama for 13 years in the late nineties. We had tornadoes in December--they are not paying attention to the calendar! My brother and sis in law had their home north of Birmingham destroyed around them last April . They now live sw of Paducah, and are in the storm zone today too. Can't get hold of them yet.
I can't even imagine going through something like this. Luckily I haven't ever had to but our thoughts always go out to people in the path of these things. My girlfriend has family in Kansas and she's always calling them after reading this kind of news and always has me looking people up on some recover registry disaster website to help out her family's friends. Our thoughts are with everyone affected by these storms!
We stayed up late worrying about it. We were lucky. Thoughts and prayers to those affected and for their losses.