Deadly Tornadoes: 82 Killed Across South, Including 61 Killed in Alabama

[nofurylike]

By Leezel Tanglao and Michael S. James
April 28, 2011

http://abcnews.go.com/US/tornadoes-77-ki...d=13474955

Deadly tornadoes, thunderstorms tore through the south Wednesday killing more than 80 people in four states, authorities said.

-snip-

The majority of those deaths were reported in Alabama with 61 people killed – including 15 in the city of Tuscaloosa alone.

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President Obama declared a state of emergency for the search and rescue response in Alabama, and Gov. Robert Bentley told WBMA he expected him to declare another one to help pay for the cleanup.

-snip-

"Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives because of the tornadoes that have swept through Alabama and the southeastern United States," [President Obama] said in a written statement. "Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this devastation, and we commend the heroic efforts of those who have been working tirelessly to respond to this disaster."

-snip-

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[nofurylike]

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/12082...ab=gallery

[SeattleGirl]

(04-28-2011 01:57 AM)nofurylike Wrote:  http://www.komonews.com/news/local/12082...ab=gallery

Thanks for the link to the photos, nofurylike. My god, but the devastation is so horrific!

[nofurylike]

(04-28-2011 08:02 PM)Punky Wrote:  Thanks for the link to the photos, nofurylike. My god, but the devastation is so horrific!

isn't it horrific, Punky?
and it keeps getting worse.

thank you!

[nofurylike]

Scores Die in Storms Across South; Tornado Ravages City
By Anahad O’Connor and Timothy Williams
April 28, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/us/29s...ss&emc=rss

Devastating storms swept through the South on Wednesday, killing at least 83 people in five states and spawning a tornado that tore through downtown Tuscaloosa, Ala. The evening twister flattened homes and buildings and brought further damage and death to a region already battered by storms.

-snip-

Across Alabama, at least 61 people were killed by storms on Wednesday alone, according to The Associated Press, which reported an additional 11 deaths in Mississippi, 9 in Georgia and 1 each in Tennessee and Virginia.

-snip-

Mr. Kelly said that he had gotten reports of roofs torn from homes, people trapped in buildings, and power lines strewn across interstate roads, but that crews were just beginning to respond. At least 11 people were killed in Jefferson County on Wednesday, “but we expect that number will go up as search and rescue efforts go on through the night and into tomorrow,” he said.

-snip-

By Wednesday, the storms, which started Monday evening, had also left more than 50,000 people without power from East Texas to Memphis and destroyed scores of homes as the system moved east into Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The storms were expected to weaken before moving into the Carolinas and up the Eastern Seaboard on Thursday and Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

-snip-

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[jaxx]

The pics and videos I saw on tv this morning were horrific. Devastation everywhere. The twister in Alabama was huge, wide and people said debris was falling from it miles from the actual sites. The loss of life is awful, they talked of people out screaming the names of loved ones and friends in hope of finding them alive.
Just so sad for everyone involved.

[nofurylike]

(04-28-2011 09:15 AM)jaxx Wrote:  The pics and videos I saw on tv this morning were horrific. Devastation everywhere. The twister in Alabama was huge, wide and people said debris was falling from it miles from the actual sites. The loss of life is awful, they talked of people out screaming the names of loved ones and friends in hope of finding them alive.
Just so sad for everyone involved.

it really is unspeakably sad, isn't it, jaxx?


thank you!

[Born_A_Truman]

This has been horrendous and it isn't even May yet! I called my youngest brother Chuck who lives in Huntsville yesterday, but he was in El Paso on business, so he was safe. When he first moved there I called several government agencies and NOBODY could tell me where he could go in a tornado warning. The department of safety actually told me they don't have one because they don't want the liability. He lives in an apartment about 5 miles from the airport because he travels alot and I couldn't believe a city the size of Huntsville wouldn't have tornado shelters.

I've lived back there and have another brother, Don, in SW Missouri and his place was hit several years ago. The power of these storms is unreal. We drove through Oklahoma City after the early May tornados that year and whole sides of hotels facing the turnpike were gone--ripped away.

Watching CNN yesterday was like watching a movie on SyFy. These storms are monsters.

[nofurylike]

(04-28-2011 09:49 AM)Born_A_Truman Wrote:  This has been horrendous and it isn't even May yet! I called my youngest brother Chuck who lives in Huntsville yesterday, but he was in El Paso on business, so he was safe. When he first moved there I called several government agencies and NOBODY could tell me where he could go in a tornado warning. The department of safety actually told me they don't have one because they don't want the liability. He lives in an apartment about 5 miles from the airport because he travels alot and I couldn't believe a city the size of Huntsville wouldn't have tornado shelters.

I've lived back there and have another brother, Don, in SW Missouri and his place was hit several years ago. The power of these storms is unreal. We drove through Oklahoma City after the early May tornados that year and whole sides of hotels facing the turnpike were gone--ripped away.

Watching CNN yesterday was like watching a movie on SyFy. These storms are monsters.

yes! that is exactly what it has been like, Pat, "like watching a movie on SyFy"!!

"These storms are monsters." yes.

thank you!

[Julie]

My heart goes out to all those poor souls in the path of these storms. I am sure there have been many heroes working feverishly to rescue people, thank Bob for those brave souls!

Julie

[nofurylike]

(04-28-2011 11:38 AM)Julie Wrote:  My heart goes out to all those poor souls in the path of these storms. I am sure there have been many heroes working feverishly to rescue people, thank Bob for those brave souls!

Julie

there have been many reports of those heroes working ceaselessly to find and save people. wow, yes, "brave souls!"


thank you, Julie!

[RoyGBiv]

As you ponder the destruction in the South, remember that Republicans are also wanting to de-fund NOAA and turn weather service into an entirely for-profit business. Under plans put forth by several Republicans in states like Oklahoma and Texas, what would happen in the end is that small, local weather services, unable to pay the fees associated with the "premium" package of forecasts, would be put out of business, forcing those communities to rely on national networks. Too busy covering the latest missing white girl, a tornado outbreak occurs, and someone forgets to notify local Emergency Management agencies, which has also been privatized and has employees paid below minimum wage who are untrained and mostly don't give a shit.

A couple days later, someone might figure out half a dozen towns were wiped off the map.

[nofurylike]

(04-28-2011 09:44 PM)RoyGBiv Wrote:  As you ponder the destruction in the South, remember that Republicans are also wanting to de-fund NOAA and turn weather service into an entirely for-profit business. Under plans put forth by several Republicans in states like Oklahoma and Texas, what would happen in the end is that small, local weather services, unable to pay the fees associated with the "premium" package of forecasts, would be put out of business, forcing those communities to rely on national networks. Too busy covering the latest missing white girl, a tornado outbreak occurs, and someone forgets to notify local Emergency Management agencies, which has also been privatized and has employees paid below minimum wage who are untrained and mostly don't give a shit.

A couple days later, someone might figure out half a dozen towns were wiped off the map.

omg, you are so right, RoyGBiv!!!
reading that, looking at that ... their self-centeredness, greed ...

IGNORANCE!!!
just inconceivable.

thank you for the reminder. we must remember, and remind people of those connections!

[OptimistesMaddie]

(04-28-2011 09:44 PM)RoyGBiv Wrote:  As you ponder the destruction in the South, remember that Republicans are also wanting to de-fund NOAA and turn weather service into an entirely for-profit business. Under plans put forth by several Republicans in states like Oklahoma and Texas, what would happen in the end is that small, local weather services, unable to pay the fees associated with the "premium" package of forecasts, would be put out of business, forcing those communities to rely on national networks. Too busy covering the latest missing white girl, a tornado outbreak occurs, and someone forgets to notify local Emergency Management agencies, which has also been privatized and has employees paid below minimum wage who are untrained and mostly don't give a shit.

A couple days later, someone might figure out half a dozen towns were wiped off the map.

They also want cut funds to FEMA an organization that Junior almost destroyed by cobling it into the massive security organization.

[nofurylike]

By Campbell Robertson and Kim Severson
April 29, 2011

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/30/us/30s...?src=twrhp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — After enduring a terrifying bombardment of storms that killed hundreds across the South and spawned tornadoes that razed neighborhoods and even entire towns, people from Texas to Virginia to Georgia searched through rubble for survivors on and tried to reclaim their own lives.

At least 291 people across six states died in the storms, with more than half — 204 people — in Alabama. This college town, the home of the University of Alabama, has in some places been shorn to the slab, and accounts for at least 36 of those deaths.

-snip-

President Obama announced that he was coming to Alabama on Friday afternoon, saying in a statement that the federal government had pledged its assistance.

Gov. Robert Bentley toured the state by helicopter along with federal officials, tracking a vast scar that stretched from Birmingham to his hometown, Tuscaloosa. He declared Alabama “a major, major disaster.”

-snip-

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devastating to read.

[DFW]

Just watch:

President Obama goes to Alabama to get a first-hand look.

President Obama pledges huge government aid to help out the people most in need, and for rebuilding stricken areas.

Alabama Republicans criticize him for excessive spending on needy Alabamans, and say the Federal Government has no right to tax Americans and then redistribute the money to help people out in Alabama.

[azmouse]

My heart goes out to those who lost family and friends. The stuff lost can be replaced. The people and the peace of mind can not.

Having been through what was a storm with a funnel cloud last Oct (did I ever mention we had $10,000 worth of damage because of that storm?) I still can't begin to imagine what these monster storms must be like for those caught in the middle of them. Our storm was bad but was barely a blip compared to all this destruction.

[Cha]

(04-30-2011 05:20 PM)azmouse Wrote:  My heart goes out to those who lost family and friends. The stuff lost can be replaced. The people and the peace of mind can not.

Having been through what was a storm with a funnel cloud last Oct (did I ever mention we had $10,000 worth of damage because of that storm?) I still can't begin to imagine what these monster storms must be like for those caught in the middle of them. Our storm was bad but was barely a blip compared to all this destruction.

If I knew that about you being in one of those storms in AZ..I totally forgot it! Wow..Azizona and $10, 000 worth of damages..WTH! Were you inside your house when it happened? Where did you try to get out of the way?

I can't even imagine the holy hell terror these people have gone through in the States where the recent tornadoes have hit. I saw something the other day on Benen's blog by a scientist who said it would be an injustice not to realize the greenhouse gas effect and Climate Change on these deadlier types of tornadoes.

[azmouse]

(04-30-2011 09:23 PM)Cha Wrote:  

(04-30-2011 05:20 PM)azmouse Wrote:  My heart goes out to those who lost family and friends. The stuff lost can be replaced. The people and the peace of mind can not.

Having been through what was a storm with a funnel cloud last Oct (did I ever mention we had $10,000 worth of damage because of that storm?) I still can't begin to imagine what these monster storms must be like for those caught in the middle of them. Our storm was bad but was barely a blip compared to all this destruction.

If I knew that about you being in one of those storms in AZ..I totally forgot it! Wow..Azizona and $10, 000 worth of damages..WTH! Were you inside your house when it happened? Where did you try to get out of the way?

I can't even imagine the holy hell terror these people have gone through in the States where the recent tornadoes have hit. I saw something the other day on Benen's blog by a scientist who said it would be an injustice not to realize the greenhouse gas effect and Climate Change on these deadlier types of tornadoes.

Luckily I was home. I had the news on and they were advising everyone listening to get to the safest spot in their home. I could hear the storm coming and the force of it was amazing to say the least. With golf ball-size hail, heavy rain, and high winds I couldn't see more than maybe 20 ft outside a window. I ran into a bathroom because no one here has basements, and hunkered down to wait things out. Scared barely describes the feeling.
I couldn't imagine leaving that "safe area" and seeing nothing left the way these people did. Everything gone or destroyed. Nothing recognizable.
It's got to be climate change causing these storms. I hope it doesn't take years more of this to convince people of the need to clean up the environment.