Family's surveillance cameras rolling as tornado hits West Liberty, Ky

Originally posted by gemineye
I've watched this over and over trying to figure out what exactly is going on with those houses toward the end of the vid. It looks like they literally turn to dust and blow away. At first I thought it was smoke, but I don't think so. That would have to be some pretty intense smoke to be that thick in that wind. I'm glad the previous two posters brought that up because I wanted to get opinions on that!

Many home have crawl space under there floors.
In old homes the dust blown under these homes plus the clay soil never gets wet if the pad the homes are built on is raised to keep water from going under the home.

When a tornado tears the home away or the siding allowing the high wind to get to that dry dirt it blows out in a big cloud.
Me i always liked homes anchored to a big old concrete slab that is not going anywhere

Originally posted by CaptainBeno
A house with so many cameras?!

They didn't show the one where his weed crop gets totally annihilated!!!

Paronoid or growing or both?

I hadn't said it, but I will admit to thinking along those lines, as well.

Originally posted by Tinman67
It always puzzles me. Why do people stay in their homes when they get a Hurricane warning way in advance?? We're lucky to get a warning measured in minutes with Tornadoes, if even that.

Hurricanes are mostly just a lot of strong wind and a lot of rain. Neither is a big deal in many areas. It's just a matter of waiting it out and dealing with any potential power outages. Of course there is a risk of flooding in certain areas, and if you live in those areas, it'd be safer to leave when asked to.

I would be much more afraid of a tornado threat. At least with a hurricane, you have much advanced warning. Still, tornadoes do strike more often during hurricanes.

As an aside, I'd also be afraid of earthquakes too, without any warning on those either.

reply to post by gemineye


We can have shelters put in here in Texas, but we can't have basements due the crappy clay soil we have. This whole area used to be a big swamp in the dinosaur days ( dinosaur bones all over this area). We have a lot of foundation problems here because of the soil type.

After our tornado, everyone had to throw away their canned goods because even though they were unopened, they had dirt and such inside them. A drinking straw was found driven like a nail into a tree trunk.

Here's a picture of our tornado
www.srh.noaa.gov...

Btw, safe rooms were designed after enginneers studied our little bank safe that remained standing, while everything around it was completely destroyed, it scoured the pavement even.
www.usatoday.com...

Btw, safe rooms were designed after enginneers studied our little bank safe that remained standing, while everything around it was completely destroyed, it scoured the pavement even. www.usatoday.com...

reply to post by sickofitall2012


I remember watching a documentary about tornadoes once and that tornado was mentioned! The bank safe reminded me! I remember they interviewed the people who were in the safe and one lady mentioned coming out of it when the tornado was over and there was nothing left of anything! It's been a while since I saw that, but I've thought back on the part about the bank safe several times. Wow, and to think you survived such a monstrous tornado! I can imagine that such an experience changes a person forever.

them tornayda's is proof that mother nature has her times of the month... i still wanna see one tho

reply to post by sickofitall2012


I am very happy that your family was safe in the ditch, and I'm sure it is a fine way to get out of the way of the tornado if it is something you have to do. I am also sorry your grandmother died in her car.

That being said, I am just passing along what was being taught in storm training last year by police officers and those in the field.
To be quite honest, during an ef4-5 there aren't too many safe places anyway. They constantly tell you to get in your bathtub in a small bathroom if you don't have a basement and I can't count the number of stories I have read in just the past year that have involved people dying in their bathtubs, mothers lying on their babies in the bathtub and the babies get ripped into the sky.
At the same time, I've heard countless stories of people riding out tornadoes in a bathtub with no problem.

I've seen people crawl out of their concrete storm shelter just fine, when their entire house around them was gone. I've also read about concrete shelters dismantling and killing everyone inside.

Tornadoes are unpredictable. It all depends on your own unique situation and what you have to work with.

My intention was not to discredit your account, and I am sorry if that was the way I seemed to portray it.

reply to post by tport17


No, no, no, not at all. I was attacking your messenger not you, sorry you took it that way. I just want people to live, that's all. Remember the Jerrell, Tx tornado, F5. It killed everything and everyone that was above ground. It was more intense than ours.

reply to post by gemineye


We were on the same street as that bank, about a mile down.
Everything was gone and yes, it does change you forever.
A rock came out of my wound scar months after. That's how far it was able to blow the dirt and debris into it.
Sorry for all the reminiscing, it's just that your video really hit a nerve, in a good way.

reply to post by aboutface

I have silently wondered over the years why people who live in tornado alley don't build their homes inground more.

Think about it this way....

I have always lived in the Midwest U.S. Not in the worst areas of 'Tornado Alley', but not far from it either. Every Spring, I see the resulted damage that Tornadoes leave behind.

BUT, I have never been directly victimized by a tornado (not yet, anyways). I have never even seen a tornado, and that is not for a lack of trying. I am that idiot neighbor who goes running into the back yard, or out into the middle of the street, as soon as the annoying tornado sirens start going off.

On the other hand, I have seen, and have been in many floods. Weighing out the options, I choose to stay above ground.

reply to post by Sly62659

Take a look at 6:10, there are two lights that appear on the house with a third next to the house. Then it's like they go flying off to the side. Any thoughts? It doesn't seem like the lights are going with the wind?

Not sure, but I was thinking some of that may be tiny droplets of water, on the camera lens.




reply to post by CaptainBeno

Originally posted by CaptainBeno

A house with so many cameras?!

They didn't show the one where his weed crop gets totally annihilated!!!

Paronoid or growing or both?

Typical pot-head response.

There are numerous reasons as to why they have several security cameras.

Here↓ are a couple, but there are many other logical possibilities too.

Maybe they were robbed.

Maybe they have been vandalized.

Originally posted by Sly62659
Take a look at 6:10, there are two lights that appear on the house with a third next to the house. Then it's like they go flying off to the side. Any thoughts? It doesn't seem like the lights are going with the wind?

Yeah, I noticed that too. UFO maybe in the middle of the tornado? Cool video.

reply to post by Tinman67


Because most of us have the attitude of IT WON'T HAPPEN TO ME.

Well, it does.

Wow really nice find OP,

That looks scary as hell. Being from Scotland I've never witnessed anything like this first hand as I know they're more common in the U.S.

With them being more common I always wondered, why do Americans keep building wooden houses? I'm fairly certain if tornados hit Edinburgh, the vast majority of our stone buildings would be fine.

Peace

reply to post by Thundersmurf


I have often wondered about the building codes in these areas as not only do most buildings seem to be wood framed, but also lack concrete foundations with proper basements. I simply WOULD NOT live in the tornado alley region without these features but perhaps the soil conditions in these areas prevent this in most areas much like the poster from Texas mentioned.

Regardless, when a certain F level is reached, I do not think even stone buildings would fair much better. Case in point; I live in the southern region Ontario, in Canada and in some cases the tornado systems can reach us. Years ago a twister ripped through a neighbourhood of brick homes near my location. Although the homes did not completely disintegrate like wood framed homes, the incredible shear force and suction forces at play ripped the roofs off and sucked out most of the internal framing. Ultimately having a brick or stone husk left is not much better but i can see safety benefits as long as you don't get a direct hit.

Incredible footage.With the surveillance cameras you really get a totally different perspective on how powerful and devastating tornadoes are.My sentiments to those affected by these tornadoes.Peace.

reply to post by BrokenCircles

Typical pot-head response.

What a moronic response?
Thanks for casting aspersions on my character without actually knowing me?

I'm a Commercial Pilot / Test Pilot.

I get drug tested regularly and don't smoke pot.

It was a joke

Google "Joke" Moron.

reply to post by CaptainBeno

Originally posted by CaptainBeno

What a moronic response?
Thanks for casting aspersions on my character without actually knowing me?

Are those supposed to be questions?


Smoke another, and try to calm down a bit. Then re-read my previous post, and maybe you will realize that I said absolutely nothing about you.

Originally posted by CaptainBeno

I'm a Commercial Pilot / Test Pilot.

I get drug tested regularly and don't smoke pot.

I don't care.

Originally posted by CaptainBeno

It was a joke

Google "Joke" Moron.

Tornadoes are serious. There is nothing funny about them.

This is not the place for that.
There is a designated area for it: Offtopic: Jokes, Puns, & Pranks

YOUR OBVIOUSLY AN IDIOT

This is what happens when you move between the states for various other reasons and end up having wooden houses that even a truck can take down with a drive inside the house.