How are Alabama DUers faring with

[malaise]

these tornadoes? Stay safe.

[BOSSHOG]

1. South Mississippi checking in here

Our Tornado Warning just ended a few minutes ago. NPR out of Biloxi has been giving more weather alerts the past two hours then playing classical music. All that nonsense is heading to Bama now and the New Orleans weather center is calling for more of mother nature's nonsense for the next 12 hours (strong winds, thunderstorms, damaging hail.) And then a beautiful sunshiny day tomorrow.

[malaise]

2. Good to hear you're OK

Enjoy that lovely day tomorrow.

[malaise]

5. Listening on MSNBC

they're saying extensive damage at a high school in Enterprise, Alabama. Hope those kids escaped. Now heading for Dale county.

[Virginia Dare]

7. Did the chickenhawk in chief make it out before the storms?..n/t

[BOSSHOG]

8. Haven't heard yet

He was scheduled to visit a school in New Orleans this afternoon. (Photo op city.) New Orleans is getting some pretty heavy rain right now. At the very least our brave leader will have to take the long way back to DC cause I doubt the Air Force is gonna fly through Alabama and Georgia this afternoon.

[Clark2008]

36. Every time he visits the South, it pours rain and we have

heavy thunderstorms. The last time he was scheduled to visit Knoxville, TN, AF One couldn't land because of the weather. He flew away and, I swear to God and Manna, that the MINUTE he left our air space, the skies cleared up.

It looks like all these Southerners who think Bush is God would get suspicious after all the times he's been here and brings us bad weather. :)

[MoonRiver]

58. Just like the weather on his first phony inauguration!

Goes to show GOD IS NOT PLEASED with dimson.

[malaise]

9. Hope not

:D

[Virginia Dare]

11. Careful, you'll end up on the Hanshitty/ Limpballs shows..

they'll use it as proof of the irrational hatred towards our esteemed commander in chief. :D

[malaise]

13. LOL

By the way there is real worry about damage to helicopters and aircraft. Big army town.
We'll see in a while I guess.

[nealmhughes]

3. It stormed several times last night just west of Hutnsville. Then again at 7 am.

Then about 10:30 the warnings went out until just about noon, radar indications of tornados in far northwestern Alabama, east of Tupelo MS and moving towards Florence about 50 miles west of Huntsville. There were 3 warnings, but it no longer storming, but still raining and grey.

The main front has not yet come thru. I understand that the weather will be worse where it has not rained or stormed further south, around Bham and Montgomery. We are still under a watch until 6pm and all the schools have closed north of Birmingham to the Tennessee state line.

Torrential rain when it does, very tropical monsoon-like, bottom below our house is flooded worse than I have ever seen in 2 years of living here.

There was some damage from winds, but most of the storms seemed to stay pretty much in the country, where there are mostly open fields. Getting ready for Round 2 now.

[malaise]

4. Stay safe

Hope there's no more flooding.

[nealmhughes]

6. Update: tornado touchdown in SE Alabama in Enterprise, near Dothan.

The high school was damaged, students trapped and football stadium destroyed. New tornado near Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama in Aliceville, just west of Tuscaloosa County.

[malaise]

10. Really bad news

Live report on MSNBC. Where is the national Guard? Oh fugg - Bush sent them to Iraq.

[karlrschneider]

12. Looks like town of Ozark hit as well so Ft. Rucker right between them

probably was too.

[malaise]

14. Just heard that they're quite worried

about helicopters and aircraft.
Sp.

[lyonn]

15. Neal, are you in the path now?

[nealmhughes]

19. No, I am far, far away! Only 5 miles from Tennessee. We already got ours this morning!

[lyonn]

33. Very good!

Those rippers are no fun. The 5-3-99 biggie got us. It's an awesome experience. You do feel more compassion for those that go through it. So, glad you are safe!

[OneGrassRoot]

16. Wonder why CNN had reporter at Ft. Rucker?

I was born in Enterprise, just checked on family still living there. All okay, thank goodness. Several family members saw two separate tornadoes.

I was watching CNN and Neal Karlinski (?) - I can picture him - was on the telephone, broadcasting from Ft. Rucker. I was wondering why he'd be there?

[pinstikfartherin]

17. UPDATE:

What they are saying on or local news here in Montgomery, AL:

One death in Wilcox county. Extensive damage in Enterprise. Students and teachers trapped in the high school. Some neighborhoods flattened. The local hospital has been damaged and the patients are being evacuated to other facilities nearby. 16,000 without power.

Right this second there has been a tornado spotted in Montgomery county, south of the city.

Our schools in Elmore an Autauga counties were released at noon. It's been real quiet here and only rained a bit when I went to pick up my younger sister from school. We haven't got much here, but I have a feeling we will before the night's over.

If I hear more local information, I'll post.

[malaise]

18. Stay safe -time to warn DUers in

Georgia.
CNN saying teachers and students trapped and school looks like a bomb went off.

Sp. Add.

[malaise]

20. Several fatalities at the high school

according to CNN

[karlrschneider]

25. I think you heard that wrong...several injuries but no deaths.

...

[malaise]

26. CNN said that

HOpe they're wrong.

[karlrschneider]

28. Well, I've had CNN on for an hour and didn't hear it.

...
edit: Sorry, they have a witness on the phone who says he did see fatalities in the school. I obviously missed the earlier report.

[malaise]

29. They're showing video now

Damn tornado's are destructive.

[uppityperson]

34. video links on this Alabama news website.

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6163453
not sure of fatalities but a big mess.

[MonkeyFunk]

55. MSNBC

reported 13 deaths at the school.

[uppityperson]

21. Link to station and story

http://www.wsfa.com/

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6163453
Enterprise Hit by Major Storm; School Roof Off
Severe weather has hit the Enterprise area. One witness says he saw a large tornado. Hunter Scott says power lines are down, you can't get into downtown Enterprise. He says there are roofs off of houses, "It's pretty devestated down there." Curfew in place.

[malaise]

22. Bush visits the area and

this is what they get. El Diablo indeed.

[uppityperson]

23. couple links on that newsite to interviews.

I hate tornadoes.

[pinstikfartherin]

24. Update: Not evacuating hospital

Local news, WSFA, just stated that they are not having to evaucate the hospital afterall, the damage turned out to be not bad enough.

1 home destroyed in Dallas county.
Damage in Montgomery county.
Television station cameras seeing wall clouds and possible funnel clouds in Tuscaloosa.

[pinstikfartherin]

27. UPDATE: Footage just shown from Enterprise!

The high school DOES look like a bomb went off. Cars flipped, debris everywhere. Houses without roofs nearby. They are saying that the tornado was HUGE and asking for help because of the many injuries. Saying that they feel like that got all people out who were trapped.

[uppityperson]

30. link to page with video. Oh crap

http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6163453

[unsavedtrash]

31. my local channel says 26 injured down in Enterprise at the high school but no fatalities.

That was reported from one hospital

[malaise]

35. That would be good news

but CNN maintains deaths and injuries.
New ROTC office destroyed.

[uppityperson]

37. ROTC office destroyed? That is funny.

not really, but sort of. Maybe ironically funny.

[malaise]

41. The irony didn't miss me

LOL

[unsavedtrash]

32. Tuscaloosa has tornado's reported but none touching down.

The city and county let the kids out at lunch.

[malaise]

46. What time is lunch

The Enterprise kids were supposed to be let off at 1.00pm but the tornado was too close.

MSNBC will have a special report after Tweety.

[unsavedtrash]

47. city at 11:45 and county at 12:00 n/t

[malaise]

49. Damn

Guess they had no warning at that time.

[uppityperson]

38. 8 fatalities in Enterprise from AL EMA office. Link to story.

The Alabama state EMA office has confirmed to WSF there are eight fatalities in Enterprise. Coffee County EMA says they have fatalities also but cannot say how many at this point.
http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=6163453

[malaise]

42. How sad

Imagine the pain and shock for families.

[unsavedtrash]

39. update:

My local guy in Tuscaloosa says there were 8 fatalities in Enterprise. Unsure if they were from the school.

[malaise]

44. One of the rescuers

said he took out two kids who had died.

Gr.

[Alamom]

40. Tornado warnings: Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and surrounding counties.

The line of storms go from Tuscaloosa County N.E through Jefferson (Birmingham) on to Etowah County (Gadsden).

[OhioChick]

43. Glad to hear that you're okay, Alamom!

I was worried about you.

:hi:

[Alamom]

45. Hello,

:hi: Long time, no see. I ain't great, but I'm still here.

[lizziegrace]

48. I was born in Enterprise

This is terrible. I just pulled my birth certificate out to fill out an I-9 and there's Coffee County. :(

Any news on the military base?

[malaise]

50. Not yet -MSNBC

will have a special report coming up now. 13 dead so far with students trapped at the high school.

[uppityperson]

51. 9 per AL EMA per wsfa.com

http://www.wsfa.com

[malaise]

52. Miller's Ferry as well

Five more died there in Mobile homes. More tragedy.

[malaise]

53. Fatalities going up

and people still trapped at the high school. Damn.
Warnings for Jacksonville Florida.
From MSNBC.
add.

[OneGrassRoot]

54. Me, too

There's something extra tragic when there is a personal tie - even though we empathize with all suffering everywhere. I still have family there - all accounted for.

So odd to see this little town all over the news. My mom grew up there, so she's extra freaked out.

[OneGrassRoot]

56. Press conference @ 7:30 per MSNBC n/t

[malaise]

57. I have a question

Since they had warnings about tornadoes since yesterday why didn't they close schools today?

The Rethug senators are sure out in their numbers - Sessions, Shelby - calling for Bush to visit.

Add.

[Elwood P Dowd]

59. It's usually safer having the kids in school

Most parents would be at work, so the kids would be home alone. Usually, a school is a much more substantial structure than your average house, apartment, or mobile home.

[malaise]

60. OK thanks n/t

[peacebaby3]

61. We were hit by massive thunderstorms, but no damage from tornadoes

right here.

They passed right up above us and there was one that reportedly touched down just a few miles from here, but I haven't heard any news about much damage.

Enterprise is really devastated. We couldn't contact a friend by cell because there was no service there apparently. His kids go to school there and he works full time for the Guard . My husband was able to get through to the Nat. Guard office there (hubby is Army) and found out that everyone full-time there was ok, but one person had lost their home.

Ft. Rucker seems to have come through ok.

Lost some lives in Wilcox County as well.

I think it is up to 18 confirmed dead and 50+ injured. They said the death toll could rise though because there are still some people missing. There may still be some buried at the high school.

[malaise]

62. Stay safe

Hope your friends are OK.

[peacebaby3]

63. Thank you. n/t