Tornados Sweep the Midwest

“Neighborhoods… basically removed from the map,” said Walter Maddox, Tuscaloosa Alabama mayor.
The death toll approached 300 on April 28, 2011, from the tornadoes and thunderstorms that tore through the South, from Wednesday night to early morning.
“I could not believe what I was seeing from all the pictures taken of the tornadoes! They were really scary,” said Junior Marissa Jackson.
NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, estimated that there were 173 tornadoes on the April 27, a new record for a single storm system in modern times.
Leezel Tanglao and Ben Forer, ABC World News, reported that, “President Obama called the loss of life ‘heartbreaking,’ and promised those affected by the storms the full support of the federal government.”
The twisters destroyed cities like Tuscaloosa, and forced a pair of nuclear plants to go off line, more than a million people without power, and thousands homeless.
NOAA said it was the worst tornado outbreak since 1974, when storms killed 315 people. The deadliest tornado outbreak on record was on March 18, 1925, when 695 people died.
“In a matter of hours, these deadly tornadoes… took mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and neighbors, even entire communities,” Obama said.
The majority of the deaths reported so far have been in Alabama, where at least 195 people were killed. Mississippi recorded 32 fatalities, Tennessee had 33, Georgia at least 10, and Virginia had eight.
“The damage is still being assessed and the death toll is expected to rise,” reported Naomi Spencer, of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI).
According to Alabama Emergency Management Agency information manager Yasamie August, “It’s going to be difficult to get an accurate count of damage or injuries at this point. Many people can’t get to a hospital.”
The National Weather Service estimated the tornado may have been an EF5, the highest category, with winds exceeding 200 miles per hour. Video footage of the tornado shows it to be an immense black column filled with debris.
” http://vimeo.com/22970879 ”
” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyszJj0VEVU ”
” http://abcnews.go.com/US/slideshow/alabama-tornado-videos-13477164”
The tornadoes remained on the ground for more than two hours and moved across some 16 miles. If accurate, this would make the cells the longest-lived tornadoes ever recorded.
The severity of the storms was compounded by a housing stock. Daniel, a Birmingham electrician who works in the construction industry, told the WSWS, “Most of the homes I’ve seen have no basement or storm shelter. A lot of new homes being built are called ‘cookie cutter homes’ because they are built as cheaply as possible.”
Because of this, even when storm sirens are sounded, residents may have nowhere to take shelter aside from their bathtubs or closets. According to National Weather Service meteorologist Greg Carbin, “If you experienced a direct hit from one of these tornadoes, you’d have to be in a reinforced room, storm shelter or underground” to survive.
“First Katrina, then the oil spill, and now this? How much suffering do those poor people down in the southeast and central have to put up with?” said Sophomore Heyzel Fierro.
Freshman Soulina Sikeo said that she was “stunned to hear of so many deaths.”
President Obama visited the Rosedale area of Tuscaloosa, AL, in the wake of devastating storms, where 42 people were confirmed dead.At least three were killed in the Rosedale apartments the president visited.
Some residents returned to the scene Friday morning to see if they could find anything else of value.Calvin Smith, a Tuscaloosa resident, was one of those residents, and sadly, his wife and niece were killed. He says he hopes something good can come out of all this.
“I mean, it should bring people in Tuscaloosa a lot closer,” he said.
The Tuscaloosa News reports 900 people were injured by the storm in Tuscaloosa alone.
Megan Bennett hid in the basement of the University of Alabama library as a monster tornado leveled parts of Tuscaloosa. “What we saw when we came outside was just unbelievable,” said Bennett, a graduate student from Clemson, SC. “It was like nothing that even Hollywood has imagined.”
“I watched in horror on the Weather Channel radar as the one tornado ripped into Tuskaloosa and then on to Birmingham. One mile wide and debris being picked up to 10,000 feet. It’s a weird feeling when you know people are dying as you watch. Unbelievable!” said Freshman Ricky Patel.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has activated 2,000 National Guard troops to assist in cleanup and rescue.
“We were prepared,” said Bentley. “But you just cannot prepare against an F5 tornado.”
Freshman Margaret Taylor said, “This is who situation is just plain tragic on every scale. Let’s just all hope that our government does the best they can to help everyone who had to experience, and suffer from these storms.”