Greensburg Tornado

[Big Unit]

I assume everyone has heard a little about the huge tornado that leveled Greensburg last night. I udnerstand that the entire Main business district in this town of 1600 was leveled, that the junior high and the high schools were leveled, the community hospital was leveled, that 95% of the city was hit hard, one person is confirmed dead but 17 unstable patients were transported out to other hospitals. Hwy 54 is closed along a 20 mile stretch. The City is being evacuated - what's left of it - and the National Guard is sending soldiers. Thank goodness for science - but for Doppler radar the town residents might not have been given 20 minutes advance warning.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. How horrible

I had a good friend in college from Greensburg. It is a pretty little town.

[uppityperson]

2. hoping for the best for Kansasinians, read about this in our paper in WA

Wanted to check in and pass on my condolences and wishes for the best. Good for ntl guard and doppler.

[puffthemagicdragon]

3. I head about it

tried to post it in Latest Breaking news but it was blocked. Seems like big news to me..the town is gone. I have a friend in Kansas City that said it is all over the news and the tornado was 1/2 a mile wide.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Now they are saying mile wide

9 dead.

[Mabus]

5. Isn't that where the worldest largest/deepest hand dug well is?

That's all I could remember (if it is even correct) about Greenburg.

What a mess. I've seen pictures that look like the tree topss were sheared off. The whole town looks wiped out.

[Big Unit]

6. You are Right

Greensburg is indeed the location of the largest hand-dug well. I wonder if anyone hid from the tornado in there? Greensburg is also located in prime pheasant hunting country. And it is the home of our Democratic Minority Leader in the Kansas House, Dennis McKinney, whose home was demolished by the tornado.

[Mabus]

7. I knew it was either the city with the hand dug well or the ball of twine

As strange as it may sound, I think Kansas is lucky that it hit a smaller town rather than one of the largest cities. Can you imagine the destruction if a 1/2-mile (or now I'm hearing reports that it may have been as big as a mile or a mile and a half) wide tornado going through a more populous area? :scared:

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Looks like the only structure that survived was the grain silo

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Even the well got hit

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. Here's the before pic

[Mabus]

11. I drove through Moore shortly after the 1999 F5 tornado

along I-35 (starting with Frontier City Amusement Park and ending with the Norman, OK area) there was all kinds of debris. I saw hugh highway light poles wadded into little balls of metal. One of the things that has always haunted me was a small doll along the side of a road. The doll was sticking out of rubble piled along a the road.

I saw the doll when was I was waiting in traffic. Only one lane was open on that stretch of road and the traffic, when it moved at all, was creeping slowly along. It's hard to describe but, it was like this little doll was so out of place. The first thing that caught my eye was that it didn't look dirty at all. It had a pink dress with a white bib and pink bonnet. The second thing I noticed was that it was winking. I don't think it was intentional and it may have been the only damage the doll received. Then I noticed that its arms were extended upwards, like it was beaconing someone to pick it up.

It just seemed eerie. An almost perfect little doll, sticking out of a pile of rubbish, winking and wanting to be picked up. I've always wondered what happened to her owner. What happened to the child owned that doll?

[auntie_em]

12. Our neighbors look shell shocked!

We're in Pratt (30 miles west of Greensburg) and it is sad to see those who've been displaced. We have some refugees here. It makes my heart hurt. Even our minority leader McKinney lost his home but he is thankfully safe. If you have a mind to help this will be a LONG term opportunity. We've donated money so far to the Red Cross here in pratt which is the regional office that will take care of Greensburg. We also plan on on helping either feed the crews or at the shelters. I have a hunch the biggest needs will come in a week or so when the news begins to fade. Hey FEMA did show up!!!!!!
The main concern I have is ...where do the people go for a job or school or church? All of that has been taken! Not to mention the loss of a home and possessions!

[Mabus]

13. I wonder about that too

Where are they going to go? Are people going to rebuild? Do you think donations to the Red Cross are the way to go?
And welcome to DU. Please keep us posted.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

Do you really think the Red Cross is the appropriate charity to donate to? They really dropped the ball for the Katrina victims. Are there any other local charities you trust that you can recommend for us here on DU?