Phenomenon - Worst Ever Tornado Current Lead Story...
Preliminary: Over 122 dead, 1500 missing
Three Quarters of Joplin, Mo. Leveled by Monster EF5 Tornado
The death toll from the monster tornado that struck Joplin, Mo., rose to at least 124 today, even as a new system of deadly storms moved across the Midwest. As of two days after, Joplin officials were reporting that as many as 1,500 people were still unaccounted for, which even if a low percentage of the missing are fatalities this would make Joplin the worst overall Tornado disaster in history - recorded or otherwise.
Tornadoes passing through Oklahoma the following day have left at least 13 people dead and destroyed hundreds of homes, according to state and local officials. the damage there has yet to be assessed.
News of the storm system gave the search for survivors in Joplin new urgency.
The city is under a heap of rubble and is looking at a long, tough rebuilding process. More help from President Obama is promised on top of the aid guaranteed to the tornado and storm victims of the costliest April of tornados ever.
And the threat of more tornadoes comes with relentless fury. Search and rescue teams are struggling to find survivors in Joplin's rubble. More than 750 people were injured in the storm, and that is only a preliminary number.
The massive Joplin tornado was rated as an EF-5, the strongest classification, with winds ranging above 200 mph. The nearly mile-wide funnel carved a six mile wide path through the city and left trapped survivors and people scrambling for shelter.
A tornado that struck Flint, Mich., on June 8, 1953 and killed 116 people had been the deadliest single tornado on record since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminsitration began keeping track of tornado fatalities in 1950.
The lethal twister has also made 2011 the deadliest year for tornadoes since 1953, with 454 deaths from 1,000 tornadoes so far, according to NOAA. This year's toll may well eclipse the all-time torando death toll, just by the final tally in Joplin.
April set a record as the deadliest month ever with 361 tornado-related deaths, according to NOAA's records.
In total, 70 tornadoes were produced by the storm system since Friday, including at least 47 tornadoes Sunday. Tornadoes were reported in seven states from the Canadian border to Oklahoma. Warnings and watches were posted from Texas to Michigan.
Dateline: Middle America USA 05-14-11
April sets records for storm disaster in three states: an outbreak for the history books
April Tornadoes Devastate Tornado Ally as Never Before
North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue speaking the day after a storm of more than 250 tornadoes had whirled through six U.S. southern states in early April 2011, said she had never seen anything like the devastation left behind by the series of powerful tornadoes unleashed upon her state.
It was widely agreed that the storm of April 14 set the record for most tornadoes in one weather system, the previous king of storms had 141 tornadoes.
"It was like paper doll houses that were collapsed," Perdue said. "Thousands of pieces of furniture ... were strewn all over 25 counties. Lives disrupted, communities disrupted."
Three days later towns in Missippi and Alabama got smashed with record storms including three tornadoes of EF5 force.
10 billion dollars damage Most (2/3) died in Ala. Overall economic loss a record Long term economic consequences unknown, agriculture of entire state of No. Carolina disrupted/destroyed. More than a million without power. Local town Pratt City wiped out. Still looking for victims. About 38 or 39 dead will probably be about 50. Smithville near Tupelo is erased off the map. Entire neighborhoods in Tuscaloosa are gone. Nothing can be salvaged. Complete rebuilding will be needed no hope to save stuff. Birmingham official chief of staff of mayor, Chuck Foss. – 1,000 homes and countless businesses destroyed. |
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According to the governor the agricultural economy of North Carolina will take a hit like it has never before experienced. Billions of dollars of damage have been reported and government disaster aid will be forthcoming.
"I don't know how we'll cope with that or what kind of assistance will be there — they need labor on the ground to plow and re-seed the fields. ... This is the first major agricultural hit North Carolina has ever had."
Official fatality figures for the early April mega storms rested at 51, but as with all disasters that number may well rise as more data come in to official agencies.
Homes were demolished, cars flipped over and havoc was wreaked across six states destroying infrastructure that will impede both local and national economies in untold ways for months, maybe more. One twister amazed people unfamiliar with a tornado’s power when pictures of a Lowe’s Home Improvement Store torn in half and completely disintegrated appeared on the internet and across television news screens.
As of Wednesday April 27th there had been a single month record-setting 17 killer tornadoes with the second most fatalities at 49 behind only February 2008 which recorded 59 deaths. As people woke up on Thursday the 28th they were to discover that April 2011 would easily eclipse all-time records for single month death toll, economic loss and devastation of private and public property. ...
List of F5 Tornadoes (starting with most recent)
(At least two more in May 2011 brings total to five this year already,
the second most ever in any year.The average is one per year.)
55 April 27, 2011 Preston MS
54 April 27, 2011 Hackleburg/Phil Campbell AL
53 April 27, 2011 Smithville MS
52 May 25, 2008 Parkersburg IA
51 May 4, 2007 Greensburg KS
50 May 3, 1999 Bridge Creek/Moore OK
49 April 16, 1998 Waynesboro TN
48 April 8, 1998 Pleasant Grove AL
47 May 27, 1997 Jarrell TX
46 July 18, 1996 Oakfield WI
45 June 16, 1992 Chandler MN
44 April 26, 1991 Andover KS
43 August 28, 1990 Plainfield IL
42 March 13, 1990 Goessel KS
41 March 13, 1990 Hesston KS
40 May 31, 1985 Niles OH
39 June 7, 1984 Barneveld WI
38 April 2, 1982 Broken Bow OK
37 April 4, 1977 Birmingham AL
36 June 13, 1976 Jordan IA
35 April 19, 1976 Brownwood TX
34 March 26, 1976 Spiro OK
33 April 3, 1974 Guin AL
32 April 3, 1974 Tanner AL
31 April 3, 1974 Mt. Hope AL
30 April 3, 1974 Sayler Park OH
29 April 3, 1974 Brandenburg KY
28 April 3, 1974 Xenia OH
27 April 3, 1974 Daisy Hill IN
26 May 6, 1973 Valley Mills TX
25 February 21, 1971 Delhi LA
24 May 11, 1970 Lubbock TX
23 June 13, 1968 Tracy MN
22 May 15, 1968 Maynard IA
21 May 15, 1968 Charles City IA
20 April 23, 1968 Gallipolis OH
19 October 14, 1966 Belmond IA
18 June 8, 1966 Topeka KS
17 March 3, 1966 Jackson MS
16 May 8, 1965 Gregory SD
15 May 5, 1964 Bradshaw NE
14 April 3, 1964 Wichita Falls TX
13 May 5, 1960 Prague OK
12 June 4, 1958 Menomonie WI
11 December 18, 1957 Murphysboro IL
10 June 20, 1957 Fargo ND
9 May 20, 1957 Ruskin Heights MO
8 April 3, 1956 Grand Rapids MI
7 May 25, 1955 Udall KS
6 May 25, 1955 Blackwell OK
5 December 5, 1953 Vicksburg MS
4 June 27, 1953 Adair IA
3 June 8, 1953 Flint MI
2 May 29, 1953 Ft. Rice ND
1 May 11, 1953 Waco TX