Joplin Missouri Obliterated By Tornado, Over 150 Dead

[jimmy olsen]

Must have been a hell of a sight.

http://www.kmbc.com/news/28023604/detail.html#ixzz1NQgYoIPq

Tornado Takes Kansas Man On Wild Ride
Dan Goff Lifted Into Air Inside Pickup Truck

POSTED: 2:33 pm CDT May 25, 2011
UPDATED: 5:38 pm CDT May 25, 2011

LOUISBURG, Kan. -- A Louisburg man said that he was caught in his Ford F-150 pickup truck when the storm hit late Wednesday morning and it lifted him into the air.

Dan Goff said he was heading down Highway 68, preparing to pick his daughter up from school.

Video | Video 2

"I noticed that the rain and the clouds above me were moving really fast. No rotation or anything that I saw. But then, I started seeing debris, so I started slowing down. Next thing I knew, I was being toppled in the truck," Goff said. "I didn't even have time to really be scared."

He said the storm lifted his truck in the air and battered it for about five to 10 seconds.

"I had to climb out of the passenger door because the truck (landed) sideways," he said. "It smashed it on the front end first and broke the windshield."

A Kansas state trooper witnessed the incident.

"I said, 'I'm not sure what happened.' He said, 'I am. I watched it.'" Goff said. "He said, 'A tornado just flipped your truck over.' I said, 'That's what it felt like.'"

"It literally came out of the sky and dropped right on top of that vehicle," said trooper Shane Covey. "Sitting there, watching it, it seemed like forever. But it was probably only 10 seconds, you know, in reality."

"I felt like I was in a tin can being squeezed," Goff said.

Goff said he was wearing his seat belt and was not seriously hurt. He reported having minor cuts from broken glass and bumps and bruises.

His truck didn't fare so well, he said.

"I think it's done," Goff said.

[Caliga]

I didn't hear anything last night, but we must have had a massive squall come through because we lost half of a Bradford pear that the idiot people who owned our house before us planted right next to the kitchen.  Hopefully it didn't damage the siding/roof but I can't check it till I get back home later.  I'm kind of glad because I hated that tree (I hate all Bradford pears) and it was planted much too close to the house.  Idiot former owners.

Also, when I left for work I found a feral kitty that lives on our property dead in the street.  It was a nice kitty... liked being petted.  Roscoe enjoyed barking at it, too.  Didn't look like it'd been hit by a car so I guess maybe flying debris killed it?  Poor kitty.

[jimmy olsen]

[Caliga]

Nobody was killed in the Bedford tornado.

[Ed Anger]

Yeah, we established contact in the middle of last night. Her parents were OK.

[Grey Fox]

I didn't hear anything last night, but we must have had a massive squall come through because we lost half of a Bradford pear that the idiot people who owned our house before us planted right next to the kitchen.  Hopefully it didn't damage the siding/roof but I can't check it till I get back home later.  I'm kind of glad because I hated that tree (I hate all Bradford pears) and it was planted much too close to the house.  Idiot former owners.

Also, when I left for work I found a feral kitty that lives on our property dead in the street.  It was a nice kitty... liked being petted.  Roscoe enjoyed barking at it, too.  Didn't look like it'd been hit by a car so I guess maybe flying debris killed it?  Poor kitty.

All in all a good nite?

[Caliga]

I got to sleep through the night, so yes.

A few weeks back we had a sustained period of tornado weather that was so bad I got woken up every night (some nights more than once) to tornado alarms.  I felt like a British civvie during The Blitz.

[KRonn]

Yeah, we established contact in the middle of last night. Her parents were OK.

Good to hear. 

[KRonn]

I got to sleep through the night, so yes.

A few weeks back we had a sustained period of tornado weather that was so bad I got woken up every night (some nights more than once) to tornado alarms.  I felt like a British civvie during The Blitz.

That must have been a bit nerve wracking!   

[jimmy olsen]

There are still 232 people unaccounted for in Joplin.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/27/us-weather-tornadoes-missing-idUSTRE74P7QT20110527

[jimmy olsen]

WBC to protest at Joplin

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=461407

[Caliga]

The next evening there was another dead cat in the exact same spot as the first one.  While I was looking at it from my dining room window another kitty came down to sniff at the dead cat, and then suddenly took off  like it had a little rocket engine shoved up its ass.  I quickly saw why.... coming out of the bushes was a coyote.  It played with the dead cat a little, and I ran to get my rifle, but by the time I got back it was gone.

OTOH, this coyote seems to be helping with the feral cat problem and I haven't had as many rabbits in my yard lately.

[jimmy olsen]

Death Toll is up to 139

[jimmy olsen]

Large tornado hit Springfield Mass, at least one dead.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43244117#43244117

http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2011/06/thunderstorms_r_1.html

[Caliga]

Death count is up to 4 from Massachusetts tornadoes.