Joplin Missouri Hammered Hard by tornadoes!

Well, one new personal updated. Nobody was injured, but a storm just went through Joplin again, and my brother's son's daycare was struck by lightning. They smelled gas afterwards, and they had to evacuate. The fire department is on scene, and the kids and daycare workers relocated to a staff member's house. His wife is on her way to pick up their son now.

They are starting to feel like they are under attack. Bad things just keep on coming. We grew up and spent 30+ years there, and we have been through plenty of storms, but never anything like this year. It is a constant bombardment of rain and thunder and lightning and wind.

It is just surreal at this point, I think they are starting to get numb.

I thought I would share this photo to show how fierce this EF5 tornado was.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/41a47665595b.jpg[/atsimg]
Photo credit

I want to say something about the cnn crew trying to sneak into the morgue. the slow process of identifying the bodies and the notifications of the families.

Until now i have tried to avoid giving graphic details of what i have seen but i will tell you that some of the bodies in the morgue aren't "whole" bodies. as you can imagine with a tornado as powerful as the tornado that came through Joplin they are finding pieces of bodies in some places. I am speaking from first hand experience here. One house i was helping to try and dig people out of Sunday night we were just finding pieces of bodies.

I was talking to people that were searching the Home depot and towards the front of the building they were finding bodies that were crushed under the concrete slab walls of the building, as you can imagine the weight of those walls did a lot of damage to human bodies.

They are identifying the bodies as fast as they can using dental records and DNA to positively Identify the bodies to avoid causing undo distress to families that have loved ones missing. compounding the identification process is the number of dental offices that was destroyed in the tornado and the records of those buildings were also destroyed.

It is also just common decency that the media shouldn't be taking cameras where they set up the morgue. NO ONE needs to see the bodies in the morgue except the families that have been notified their loved ones are there and then they should only see their loved one.

Now the official confirmed dead is 232
the official missing persons list climbed to 252 people today.
the city knows that atleast 90 people on the missing list is an overlap between the list of confirmed dead and are working with the county corner to correct the lists as fast as possible. but a person can't move from the missing list to the confirmed dead list until the bodies have been positively identified and official notification has been made to the family!

so if you account for atleast a 90 person overlap then there are 162 people still missing.
updated missing person list

that is the current missing person list. it has their name, address, DOB, if they have reported their location or if they are confirmed dead.

I would also like to point out the fact that the first few hours after the tornado was very confusing and people were sent to various hospital away from joplin and it is very possible that those people identies that were sent to hospitals out of the area weren't recorded on a list and now the hospital is trying to track them down for the families as well. it is also very possible those people were unconscious and didn't have identification on their bodies as well

I would also like to point out that i personally know atleast 1 person that is still on the missing person list. And if the CNN crew would have actually gotten into the morgue and showed the bodies in the morgue and caused his family anymore pain than what they are already feeling i can guarantee you that the confirmed dead list in the city of Joplin would have raised to account for each member of that camera crew! If they don't have the common decency or respect of the grieving then i have no respect for them either.

update on the searches today.

they have completed 4 searches of the area. because of the rain and storms today and the fact that the dogs needed a break to get some rest. today they did targeted searches of areas that people were reporting smelling human remains.

cleanup has started in some of the lesser damaged areas yesterday and rebuilding also started in some areas

Thank you Mercenary, I know that was a very sad few posts you made. It is an unbelievable situation and the stories as you have shared are only just beginning. Any of us would have to understand and agree with you on the morbid and dishonorable not to mention disrespectful way cnn has behaved and anyone involved needs to be promptly sent to the unemployment roles, even cnn would not accept this kind of decision on the part of their news crews.

This is so disturbing and without a doubt one of the most vulnerable times we as a Nation have faced.

I am sorry for what you are living through.

reply to post by Rhain


An amazing picture of the sheer force involved in these powerful storms. When people are warned to get away from windows it is because of the flying debris which can and will impale anything it comes in contact with. The center of your house is the best bet if you do not have a basement.

Check this pic out guys, I didn't want to make a whole new thread but this was from a tornado in wisconsin the other day. This was posted by Jeff Masters at the weather underground.

www.wunderground.com...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f63515da4d63.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by antar


i do have some heart warming info to share.

a little 8 year old girl from a small town in Missouri sent a letter to the joplin school district inside the envelope with the letter was $1. it was all the money she had but wanted to give it to the children here.

the students of Benton Elementary school in Neosho, mo donated their field trip money, and money that their families sent in to be donated to the Joplin relief effort. just over $2,000

The residents of Greensburg Kansas who 4 years ago suffered an ef-5 tornado strike wipping out 95% of their town have sent well wishes and prayers to the people of Joplin. they also collected food and supplies and some of the residents are bringing them to Joplin

reply to post by Mercenary2012


You will be happy to know that there is so much outpouring from my community, so much coming your way.

reply to post by antar


i was listening to the radio earlier and I agree with the DJ he made a lot of sense and i know i'm going to butcher what he said but i think people will get the jist of it.

he said "all these people are wanting to help by sending stuff, but right now the outpouring is overwhelming but people need to wait about 2-3 weeks before sending more so we really know what the need is, and what its going to be." he said to mark a date on the calendar and keep the fire burning to want to do something and then when the days comes you marked on the calendar comes then make sure you do what you planned to help, that way you know what's in need.

Antar I know i have said things in this thread and you took them as i was just directing them at you. I want to apologize and say even though they may have been replies to your posts they weren't just directed towards you and please don't take what i said personal.

I hope you can understand the frustration when some people are complaining enough isn't being done when we're here seeing what is and isn't being done and know what will help to find people and what won't.

Like you everyone here wants anything that can be done to find people alive and we wanted them found sunday night but sadly it does take time to find people. and something that very few people are saying out loud but are thinking to themselves. right now their are 132 dead. but there was over 1,000 people injured. as powerful and as slow as this tornado moved we're lucky that its so far only 132 people dead there should have been over 1,000 people dead sunday. some of the engineers that came in to survey the damage was surprised everyone above ground and in the path of the tornado wasn't killed.

Here are some photos from the 20th street / Connecticut area. This was the path of the tornado when it came through. They finally have been able to get these roads passable....

Well i am just reporting in as i live in Joplin. minor damage for our home...I just had a tree come down. I live on the North end of town. That day i mowed the lawn and then i decided to head to Home Depot, but the winds picked up and say nah. then the rain and wind was going sideways! We went for cover. Im glad i didnt go shopping...

I say one of my friends is missing, one dead and 3 others lost everything they owned! It looks like a atomic bomb went off in my home town. It is just terrible. I am working this weekend to help others in need. Also a policemen died after the tornado just came threw town by getting struck by lightning! Another one did get hit by Lightning but survived. I remember hearing the thunder and seeing the most intense lightning ever, sounded like it was only a few hundred feet above our heads and lite up the whole sky brilliantly white!

I hope everyone has Joplin in their hearts.

reply to post by Optix


I lucked out.. Connecticut just south of 32nd here. It jumped over us. If you need anything shoot me a private message.

Thanks! We got stuck after the curfew last night, My mother is coming to live with us while power is down at her place. I work at Hyspeco and we do hydraulics. We are giving out supplies and fixing any equipment for free for the relief effort. If someone comes in off a tree trimming crew with a busted hose, we fix it. It has been real busy for us!
I was getting lost in town because its just not the same.

reply to post by Optix


Yeah I had that issue as well.. When I made it to Connecticut and 20th (heading east on 20th) I had to look for the make shift marker to let me know I made it to Connecticut. All of the landmarks im use to seeing are gone.

I also noticed that you can defnitely tell which buildings are of newer construction, especially going north on main from 32nd. The Chinese resteraunt (brand new construction) looks out of place among all of the destruction. The building, including its glass windows, is completely intact and clear for occupancy as soon as power is restored to the area.


Some updated info in terms of damage.

In total about 4,000 jobs have been affected so far in Joplin (from buisinesses being closed / destroyed). For those affected, you can contact FEMA for assistance, and Missouri Department of Labor is extending unemployment assistance to those affected. You have until June 16th to file claims for the assistance.

There seems to be conflicting reports about looting as well (covered in some of the papers). With the amount of law enforcement in the area, looting is being kept to a minimum (for stats, people are being charged with either misdameanor or felony theft if you want to track it on Missouri Casenet through Jasper / Newton County PA offices). Some more military police are being brought in as well for increased foot patrols.

The ones who have been charged with felonies to date were scavenging metals from destroyed areas.

Updated list of missing

FEMA - list of distriubuted asistance to date

For Diabetic medical assistance

What you need to know after the storm - Assistance links

President Obamas trip is still planeed, and will attend a service on Sunday in Joplin.

For Medical professionals who are licensed to operate in Jasper County Missouri. The Govenor of Kansas has signed an executive order that temporarily allows you to operate in the Kansas counties of Cherokee or Labette until June 26th - source

I also notice something as well. All the rock houses still stand!!! Im buying a rock house next.

I went and dropped off scrap metal and cans today from my shop. They asked for my ID, tag numbers off my truck and where i got the metal. So yeah they are stepping up on looters of scrap metal.,,, at 200.00 a ton and .73 cents a pound for aluminum cans i can see why its tempting for thieves, but oh so wrong.

I hear everyone talking about the Westboro Church coming, i hope that doesnt explode into something bad. Joplin doesnt need anymore grief at all!

reply to post by Optix


Its already being talked about around here. No one wants them here at all for the obvious reasons. I think they are going to be biting off more than they can chew by coming down here in that manner, and I wouldnt be surprised if people end up going to jail when they arrive also.

reply to post by Mercenary2012


You are like family at this point, I take no offense ever at anyone who feels like they need to use my broad shoulders to lean on.

What you have said is true, to keep those fires burning and not to forget Joplin after the media frenzy has ended.

There will be no stopping the supplies, money, goods and services, the heavy equiptment, medical staff, volunteers, emergency services and all of the rest headed your way and already delivered since day one, or morning one. We are neighbors and we take care of our own.

Personally you'll get your wish with my personal plan, but that will come in due time.

reply to post by Optix


Well I thought that the westburro church members perished in the disaster on 5/22/11 ?

reply to post by Optix


OH my God you have no idea, people around the world have been praying with all their hearts. There is a HUGE outpouring of empathy for all of you.