Yikes! Killer Tornadoes!

[3113]

Everyone okay? Anyone end up in Oz?

Tornadoes tore across Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi yesterday, killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens in a rare midwinter outbreak of violent weather. A couple and a child were killed after a tornado touched down near the center of Atkins, a community of 3,000 along the Arkansas River in the central part of the state, the Pope County Sheriff's Office said.

Gov. Mike Beebe's office later said seven people were killed across the state, including in the communities of Clinton and Gassville. Authorities in Tennessee said four people had died in storms across that state. The power was knocked out briefly at a Little Rock convention hall that hosted a watch party for GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor.

Cell-phone pictures sent to television stations showed a dark, broad funnel approaching Atkins. Traffic was snarled on nearby Interstate 40, with reports of tractor-trailers on their sides.

At least six tornadoes touched down between Oxford, Miss., and Jackson, Tenn., said Richard Okulski of the National Weather Service in Memphis. More than 30 people were injured in the two states, hospital officials said.

And this update:

Memphis, TN (AHN) - The death count from 50 tornadoes that rampaged through seven Southern states reached 52 on Wednesday.

Tennessee and Arkansas bore the brunt of the twisters, with 28 and 13 fatalities, respectively. Seven people also died in Kentucky and four in Alabama, according to Agence France-Presse citing reports of state officials. Some of the deaths in Tennessee were from a natural gas pumping station that caught fire during the storms.

Hundreds more were injured as the deadly winter storms shattered homes and buildings, tossed cars and trailers, and snapped trees and power lines in the four states and in Mississippi. New Orleans, Alabama and Georgia are bracing for the tornadoes moving eastward. Rescuers are searching flattened homes to find survivors.

And more are on the way! Stay safe!

 

[Chantilyvamp]

fucking hell I need to call my family. I didnt see where the tornandos were yesterday

 

[neonlyte]

Crim's OK, she posted on STORY last night, so I guess the 'T's skirted her neck of the woods.

Stay safe everyone.

 

[keeblercrumb]

Not to, in anyway, make light of the suffering of these good people...

But for somebody running as an evangelical Christian, I would think Huckabee might find that it somewhat disturbing that the first State primaries he won were immediately hit with a swarm of tornadoes....

Whose side is God on, anyway?

-KC

 

[angelicminx]

Checking in.

 

[3113]

But for somebody running as an evangelical Christian, I would think Huckabee might find that it somewhat disturbing that the first State primaries he won were immediately hit with a swarm of tornadoes....

Whose side is God on, anyway?

It doesn't work like that. When something bad like, say, a hurricane happens to a city you believe is full of "sinful folk" then it's God's wrath and justice. They deserved it. If it happens to good, God-fearing folk, however (especially those voting for you), then it's God "testing" your faith, a way of showing the world how strong and such you all are as you're going to come thought this a rebuild and all that.

Either that or it's a message from God that the faithful haven't been strident enough in getting rid of the sinners.

You see? Makes perfect sense.

 

[MeiohSetsuna]

You poor americans and your hurricanes. This is why you should live in Canada.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

My little town was hit pretty hard. This is a slide show that our local paper put together of some of the damage. My work is VERY close to all of this damage, but we didn't sustain any damage.

http://thenewsenterprise.com/slideshows/storm2008/

 

[DesertPirate]

Checking in.

Glad to hear it

 

[DesertPirate]

My little town was hit pretty hard. This is a slide show that our local paper put together of some of the damage. My work is VERY close to all of this damage, but we didn't sustain any damage.

http://thenewsenterprise.com/slideshows/storm2008/

Happy you are OK hope all the family and friends are

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

Crim's OK, she posted on STORY last night, so I guess the 'T's skirted her neck of the woods.

Stay safe everyone.

We got a warning and my dad swore he heard one pass by the house, but if it did, it was up in the air and not touching down. Luckily, our area was blessed this time with no touch-downs or damage. Unfortunately, areas to the south and east of us were not so lucky.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

My little town was hit pretty hard. This is a slide show that our local paper put together of some of the damage. My work is VERY close to all of this damage, but we didn't sustain any damage.

http://thenewsenterprise.com/slideshows/storm2008/

Glad you are okay.

 

[English Lady]

Hugs amnd prayers for all those affected.