Posted on 07/29/2005 7:52:33 AM PDT by Our_Man_In_Gough_Island
Houses hit by a tornado in Birmingham might have to be knocked down because they are so badly damaged. Twenty people were injured - three seriously - after winds of 130mph were recorded in Birmingham on Thursday.
The sudden storm damaged buildings and cars, uprooted trees, and took entire roofs off some homes in an area south of the city centre.
Hundreds of people were forced to stay in two centres overnight. Some may not return home until next week.
Paul Tilsley, deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, told BBC News that while some people would be able to return home on Friday structural engineers would be checking badly damaged properties.
There has not been one of this strength in many years
"We don't know the extent of the damage and it will only become apparent during the day when we have structural engineers out to look at properties and decided what action has to be taken," he said.
"We also have got trees to clear and there is a lot of debris still on minor roads which has to be cleared.
"Hopefully people will be able to return to those less affected properties today but it may be as early as next week for some people."
Emergency services worked alongside engineers overnight to clear tons of rubble and search properties.
Workers used dogs and specialist equipment to see if anyone had been trapped in damaged buildings.
"Hundreds" of properties in the Kings Heath area were damaged, council officials said.
West Midlands Fire Service said the areas affected by the tornado, which hit the area at 1445 BST, also included Moseley, Quinton, Balsall Heath and Sparkbrook.
Local residents have described their experiences to the BBC News website.
Insurance cover
"Cars were forced to the other side of the road, bins went through car windows. Leaves, tiles and glass were all across the road," Hockley resident Estelle Skidmore said.
"I got home to find one tree crashed onto the front of my house, another crashed from my garden into my neighbour's garden, and chimneys smashed to smithereens after falling off my neighbour's house," said Liz Munro from Moseley.
Workers used specialist equipment to see if anyone had been trapped
Birmingham City Council set up shelters at Birmingham Sports Centre at Balsall Heath Road and Kings Heath Community Centre on Heathfield Road for people left temporarily homeless.
The Ambulance Service said patients had been taken to Heartlands Hospital, Selly Oak Hospital, and Dudley.
Insurers said household policies would cover most of the repairs. Car owners with fully comprehensive policies should also be able to make claims for damage.
"We have an average of 33 reports of tornadoes in the UK each year but these are especially rare in built-up areas and there has not been one of this strength in many years," said a Met Office spokesperson.
"City centres are not the natural habitat of a tornado; the tall buildings would normally stop their formation."
I guess I get to be the first person to say it is 'wreaks' not 'wrecks'.
I hope this wasn't how the BBC headline was spelled.
I was thinking an air attack on terroristas.........
They have that many in any given county in Oklahoma.
I guess I get to be the first person to say it is 'wreaks' not 'wrecks'.
I hope this wasn't how the BBC headline was spelled.
Wreck Havoc? I would think that to wreck havoc would minimize the havoc, which in this case would have been a good thing.
I think the terms they intended is wreak havoc.
H-h-how d-d-did I d-do that?
"...33 reports of tornadoes in the UK each year." >>>
"They have that many in any given county in Oklahoma."
True...and sadly sometimes more than that in one day >>>
http://www.brentonwhite.com/gis/GEOG_5222_P02_report.htm
Also, prayers for the people in Birmingham. They have been going through so much lately, a weather disaster must seem especially burdensome on top of everything else.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.