Sunday evening 5/22 - Massive Tornado in Joplin Missouri

[ticka1]

Trying to get information online but I am seeing from Facebook posts that there is alot of damage, deaths and numerous injuries.

Prayers go out to all those in the path of this deadly tornado.

[Texas SpeedDiva]

Hospital and surrounding areas hit. 2 firestations lost roofs. I-44 closed due to overturned vehicles.

A tornado has ravaged parts of Joplin Sunday, taking out hundreds of homes and businesses.
Jasper County Emergency Management Director Keith Stammer says a tornado hit the St. John's Regional Medical Center on the city's south side.

One resident living nearly 45-miles away from the hospital told KOAM his yard is now full of debris from the hospital-- medical supplies and x-rays.

Officials say the hospital is severely damaged. Chunks of the building were taken out and windows were blown out.

Most of the damage was centered around Rangeline Road, which is a major commercial strip in Joplin. A Joplin radio station is reporting there is a fire raging next door to Joplin High School which is severely damaged.



http://www.newson6.com/story/14693976/tornado-levels-parts-of-south-joplin

http://www.kmbc.com/news/27984742/detail.html


Photos are of overturned vehicles on I-44 near Joplin and what is left of the WalMart

[Texas SpeedDiva]

also hearing that Minneapolis has been hit by a tornado. One death has been reported here

[Texas SpeedDiva]

Greene County Office of Emergency Mgmt is helping with Joplin tornado - confirms 24 deaths from tornado.

[ticka1]

I'm following twitter and in a new chatroom talking about this...

if you want to stop by here is the link

www.weatherchatters.com (http://www.weatherchatters.com)

[Texas SpeedDiva]

I can not imagine how bad the devestation must be, a call has gone out for any medical personnel, fire, rescue, etc. to come to Joplin.

Gov. has declared a disaster and mobilized the MO Guard. FEMA has been moblilized

[Texas SpeedDiva]

Minneapolis Tornado Traps People in Cars and Under Trees

A tornado touched down on the northwest edge of the Twin Cities around 2:15 p.m. CDT.

Local Fox 9 in Minneapolis has reported that numerous people are trapped in cars and some under trees.

There has been major damage to houses. There are reports of extensive damage to the second floors of homes and some houses with the entire second floor missing.

The Anoka County Airport was also damaged
http://www.accuweather.com/blogs/news/story/49977/minneapolis-tornado-traps-peop.asp

[ticka1]

And night time coming so fast - I'm sure the town is without power - horrifying and a long night for those folks. I am hearing 7 people died in a nursing home. The high school got hit hard. What is so strange is we are watching a show on Discovery about the Tornados from early in the 2011 - especially the April 22nd tornado.

[Texas SpeedDiva]

Listening/watching to the Weather Channel. Mike Bettis and his crew are doing tornado chasing the next week or two. They were just outside of Joplin. He said that they had slowed down to watch the vortex wall form and then had to drive very slow due to lack of visability. According to him if not for that they would have been driving the speed limit and have been in Joplin when the tornado hit. and.......

He is asking for people to bring generators and lights because there is no power. And that is making search and rescue difficult if not impossible. He said entire neighborhoods weren't just hit - they are gone. The hospital is too damaged and they are evacing patients. Reports that at least 4 of the dead were killed at the hospital.

[Texas SpeedDiva]

Found a live feed for Jasper County Law Enforcement. It is absolutely horrifying the number of calls that are being made for body bags

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?action=wp&feedId=2798

Also sad to hear the number of calls about looting, stolen cars (and wrecks with persons fleeing) and fights breaking out.

path of the Joplin tornado
http://twitpic.com/51b3gb/full

[ticka1]

First thing this morning heard 89 deaths and will raise today with more searching.. more storms headed towards joplin this morning.

[Texas SpeedDiva]

I'm very afraid you're correct. After hearing the places that were hit and destroyed it's not going to be good.

[Texas SpeedDiva]

Was just checking the forecast for this week/weekend in Indianapolis and if the forecast is correct, it appears as the area thru Missouri up into Indiana will be under the gun most of the week.