Posted on 05/10/2008 8:52:08 PM PDT by prairiebreeze
A tornado that spun across the Oklahoma-Missouri border killed several people as severe storms raked the nation's heart Saturday, taking at least 11 lives, mangling buildings and trapping people in rubble in the storm-weary region.
At least six people were killed as the tornado flattened the northeastern Oklahoma town of Picher before the funnel struck about 15 miles away near Seneca, Mo., and killed at least three, authorities said.
The death toll in Oklahoma could climb, said state Emergency Management spokeswoman Michelann Ooten. The tornado in Picher — a depressed and pollution-scarred mining town that many residents had already fled — caused major damage in a 20-block area, she said.
"I know they are going through the rubble, trying to find people missing," she said. "There are numerous injuries."
At least five people died in southwestern Missouri after the storms plowed through, the National Weather Service said. Three people died after the Picher tornado hit near Seneca, about 15 miles away in Newton County, said meteorologist Bill Davis.
Other tornadoes were reported near McAlester and Haywood in Pittsburg County and in rural Pushmataha County, both in southeastern Oklahoma.
Television footage showed some destroyed outbuildings and damaged homes west of McAlester and near Haywood. At a glass plant southwest of McAlester, the storm apparently picked up a trailer and slammed it down on garbage bins.
"These are rural areas that we are in," Pittsburg County Undersheriff Richard Sexton told KFOR-TV in Oklahoma City. "These are good people coming together at this time."
In storm-weary Arkansas, a tornado collapsed a home and a business, and there were reports of a few people trapped in buildings, said Weather Service meteorologist John Robinson.
Central Park Elementary School in the northwest Arkansas city of Bentonville had roof and window damage, and damage was also reported at Pine Creek Center School.
The storms remained active into the evening as they swept eastward, with watches and warnings abundant across a wide swath of the Plains and South.
Rescuers were trying to free a man trapped in his vehicle in western Tennessee after a tree fell on it during thunderstorms, Memphis firefighters said.
Tornadoes killed 13 people in Arkansas on Feb. 5, and another seven were killed in an outbreak May 2. In between was freezing weather, persistent rain and river flooding that damaged residences has slowed farmers in their planting.
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Associated Press writers Murray Evans in Oklahoma City and Chuck Bartels in Little Rock, Ark., contributed to this report.
California?!?! LOL. I was in the Whittier earthquake back in 87 (???, somewhere around that time anyway), and this is the second tornado I have had a close call with. I will take a tornado anyday over a big earthquake. With a tornado, ya just gotta find a hole. When the whole Earth shakes, there is not much ya can do except pray.
But one of these days the New Madrid fault is going to kick off, and we will not be safe from earthquakes here either.
Democrat blowhards are adding CO2 and hot air, thus contributing to global warming so they are responsible for the high number of tornados we are having.
Sound reasonable?
Thank God you are alright. I’m so sorry about your losses.
We need to remember to pray for you folks.
I am very sorry you lost friends. Prayers for them & your family. Pandora
Prayers for you, your family, friends & neighbors. I am so very sorry this happened . Pandora
I am so very sorry to read about the loss of your friends and neighbors and also your cattle and possessions.
I grew up next door to you (KS) and know what destruction tornados can bring. Even then, your pictures of the destruction are breathtaking.
Prayers lifted for you and all in your area.
It certainly seems that folks in that area are very much in need of our prayers.
Thank you
Please post your replies to McCoMo
Please know that I am praying. Praise HIM for your lives. I pray he brings you comfort and strength to get through the next days.
Blessings,
trussell
If you want on/off my prayer ping list, please let me know. All requests happily honored.
Carolyn
Please accept my heartfelt condolences on the loss of your neighbors and friends, including your animals. You, your family, and your entire community will be in my thoughts and prayers...
Thank you for taking the time to share the pictures with us.
Oh my! I can’t imagine what you have gone through. Be stong, and have peace, dear one, you are not alone.
I’m sorry for your losses. And I am happy that you didn’t lose more.
wow, thanks for pix/report. glad you are safe
Thanks, Pandora.
I can’t imagine how horrible it was to put them down. My love and prayers go with you and your family at this difficult time. God will make something good out of all of it in some way. He always does.
Very good post. No problem with formatting. The info was all there. Thanks.
I am so sorry about your losses..am so glad YOU are okay! I will definitely add you and your neighbors to my prayer list.
Our state has had some crazy weather with regard to tornadoes the past few years. In north kansas city, people were complaining that the sirens didn’t go off before the tornado hit. One of the local reps, either mayor or fema, I forget which one, said that the sirens are intended to warn people who are outside!! I had never heard that before, and am quite sickened by it. They are now considering sounding alarms when there are straight line winds that are 80mph or higher.
Thank you all for your prayers and concern. I have little doubt that all will work out according to God’s plan. I do believe there is a purpose for everything.
The power of these things is phenomenal. I have been thru them before, and seen the aftermath of them numerous times, and never cease to be amazed. 4 foot diameter oak trees just twisted as if someone were unscrewing a bottle cap, shattering it into toothpicks. Our little valley serves as a good demonstration as to how dangerous flying debris is. Everywhere ya look are pieces of sheetmetal torn from chicken houses and other metal bldgs... millions of them ranging from full sheets to jagged little plate sized pieces. For anyone caught outdoors in that it would have been like being dropped in a food processor.
It has been very gratifying to see how neighbors and others have reached out to help each other. I have met a number of my neighbors who, while I knew who they were, I knew nothing else about them. Some are very nice, such as a couple of the older ladies who ya just wanna give a big hug to they are so sweet and kind. (I kinda imagine them as my new adopted grandma’s) I have met and made a lot of new friends, and it seems to have brought a lot of people closer together. Shame that it takes things like this for that to happen.
Oh, I finally had to put that bull in the photo down. I had hoped he would make it, but apparently whatever hit him in the side had caused some internal damage. He was suffering pretty badly when I finally shot him. He was such a good fella... I cannot tell ya how bad I felt doing that. Being an old farm boy, I try not to get emotionally attached to animals... but sometimes ya cannot help it. I think thats going to be the last one we lose.. the rest are doing really good.
Since you live in Kansas, I know you are no stranger to them. I was born in Winfield, and lived in Udall when it got wiped out (killed about half the town too). I spent most of my childhood growing up just outside of Dodge City. We had tornado warnings when I was a kid more times than I can count.
All of you will be in my prayers. Pandy
I am sorry about the bull (and others) you had to put down.
to me that would be worse than having my home leveled.. but I am a real animal lover & super softy.
I do pray that you will all in your area find strength & growth in helping each other & seeing the priorities of life now in a different light.
thanks again for posting. I sent link to my brother in Ok City & a few friends in Tulsa/ok city.
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