Oklahoma Tornado

[Nepenthe]

MOORE, Okla. — A giant tornado, a mile wide or more, killed at least 51 people as it tore across parts of Oklahoma City and its suburbs Monday afternoon, flattening homes, flinging cars through the air and crushing at least two schools packed with children.

As the injured began flooding into hospitals, the authorities said many people remained trapped, even as rescue workers were struggling to make their way through debris-clogged streets to the devastated suburb of Moore, where much of the damage occurred.

Amy Elliott, the spokeswoman for the Oklahoma City medical examiner, said at least 51 people had died, and officials said that toll was likely to climb. Local hospitals reported at least 145 people injured, 70 of them children.

Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore was reduced to a pile of twisted metal and toppled walls, and on Monday evening rescue workers were still struggling to tear through rubble amid reports that dozens of students were trapped. At Briarwood Elementary School in Oklahoma City, on the border with Moore, cars were thrown through the facade and the roof was torn off.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/21/us/tornado-oklahoma.html?_r=0

Last update I heard was that 24 children are still unaccounted for in the school. Let's hope the rescue workers can find any more that are alive. And to all the people out there affected by this, including any SSMBers and their friends and family, you're in our thoughts and prayers.

[-Robin-]

Moore is 5 miles north of where I live. I've been watching the broadcasts all day - Moore is practically gone now. Where there were houses, there is now debris, where there was schools, there is now twisted scrap.

I'm going to see what I can do to help out tomorrow. Donations, cleanup, recovery and rescue, anything that can make those afflicted by this tornado feel a little less grief over what transpired.

[Kuzu]

Yea I heard about this today, its like Sandy all over again.

 

Mother nature is something else.

[-Robin-]

On top of this, numerous hotels, facilities, and even the University of Oklahoma have opened their doors to provide shelter for the those who lost their homes. And, the Red Cross has apparently maxed out their volunteer capacity for the Moore recovery projects.

It's fantastic to see such support.

Edited May 21, 2013 by Joshua

[-blank-]

A mile-wide tornado? Dear lord... My condolences go out to the people of Oklahoma.

[-Robin-]

A mile wide is undervaluing this tornado. 2 1/4 miles wide is more accurate now.

The National Weather Service is calling this the largest tornado in recorded U.S. history.

[Patticus]

The cunts in Oklahoma's legislature voted against sending aid to other states when Hurricane Katrina and all those other terrible natural disasters were befalling other, sometimes  poorer states. Now they're trying to get federal aid, and begging other states for cash when they refused to help out others during their time of need. It really beggars belief.

A mile wide is undervaluing this tornado. 2 1/4 miles wide is more accurate now.

 

News services are saying that the tornado's widest extent was one and a half miles wide...

[-Robin-]

Now, there's a mile-wide tornado going through middle Oklahoma. It went through Yukon, south Oklahoma City, Moore AGAIN, and it seems to be turning southeast; a few tinier tornadoes have started to form, one of which is heading to Norman.

Where the tornado two weeks ago hit mostly just Moore very hard, this squad of tornadoes seems to carrying less destruction, just over a wide area.