Monday, May 20, 2013
At Least 37 confirmed dead in monster Oklahoma tornado
"After the ear-shattering howl of the killer storm subsided, survivors emerged from shelters to see an apocalyptic vision -- the remnants of cars twisted and piled on each other to make what had been a parking lot look like a junk yard.
Bright orange flames roaring from a structure that was blazing even as rain continued to fall. At least one school was in the tornado's devastation zone in Moore, Oklahoma. Lance West, a reporter for CNN affiliate KFOR, said that rescuers were searching for students trapped in debris at Plaza Towers Elementary School.
There were no immediate reports on the condition of the children but rescuers swarmed to the scene to begin a painstaking search. There were 75 students and staff at the school when the storm hit, KFOR reported. "Our worst fears are becoming realized this afternoon," Bill Bunting, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center, told CNN soon after the tornado struck.
The massive tornado first touched down in Newcastle and churned toward Interstate 44 and S.W. 149th Street. It ripped down Santa Fe and hit Briarwood Elementary School, destroying the building. Parents ran to the school, trying to make sure their children were all right. Firefighters and police are also on scene, trying to rescue trapped students and staff. The tornado left behind incredible destruction. It wiped out entire neighborhoods, leaving behind piles of debris."
Possibly the worst tornado to ever touch down in an American city.
Horrible reports of children and teachers unaccounted for.
This is something the medical examiner from Moore, OK, said he's never seen in his life.
I will post the Red Cross numbers where we can donate to the survivors and the families of the victims.
Horrible.
UPDATE 11 PM EDST:
Number of dead at 51.
RED CROSS DISASTER RELIEF FUND
MORE ON HOW TO HELP TORNADO VICTIMS
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21 comments:
Hopefully when NE Senators vote for funding they will overlook Coburn and Inhofe trying to block funds for Hurricane Sandy relief as well as other disasters.
Maybe time for those two to take a moment of self reflection, however.
I'm sure they'll expect the president to release any and all funds for the folks who were devastated from this natural disaster.
I don't recall any Democratic politician calling for withholding funds for any victims of natural disasters.
I believe that's a Republican value.
I just turned on CNN.
Those poor people!
This is not a time for politics and condemnations based on politics, IMO. Something more important is going on!
I agree this is not the time to politicize, but that's exactly what some GOP pols did at the time of Hurricane Sandy when they demanded cuts in spending before releasing funds for the victims. Ducky and I were just wondering if they'll do the same for this horrible disaster.
And OK Sen. Coburn has already demanded offsets before any aid is sent to those who have suffered from the tornado.
It's also important to note that he is not seeking re-election, so he has nothing to fear from his constituents by this demand.
Shaw,
I didn't like what the GOP did either!
Politicizing natural catastrophes is over the line as far as I'm concerned.
John Aravosis over at AmericaBlog:
"Yes, Coburn is taking his own constituents hostage as budget-cutting human shields.[...] I suppose one could try to argue that Coburn’s cold-hearted ideological consistency in the face of 24 dead children is refreshing. But I’d call it heartless. And it’s systematic of the larger problem the Republican party is having at the national level. They just don’t like people. And it’s starting to show."
Always nice to see human suffering turned into a political event, way to go ducky and shaw.
Coburn and Inhofe were not against disaster relief, they were against the massive funds spent on things other than Sandy relief. You both knew that you just needed to interject your hate filled rhetoric aimed at conservatives. At least you are both consistent.
people are mucho upset with coburn
skudrunner, WRONG again.
I've reported what Sen. Coburn said. IT IS HE who politicized the disaster.
And it is YOU who is blaming the reporting of said politicization on others.
It's called blaming the messenger and not the person messaging.
What he has said is horrid.
Just look at what the people in his state are saying about it in the link Anon@9:45 provided.
You are correct, Coburn is not liked in his home state. He won in a overwhelming democrat area and won reelection by a slim 11% margin.
The people of Oklahoma will make it through this disaster the way they always do, with each others help.
Westboro Blames Tornado On Gay NBA Player
Senator Jim Inhofe: Oklahoma Tornado Aid Will Be 'Completely Different' From Sandy Aid
skudrunner, I didn't write that Sen. Coburn is not liked in his state. You made that up.
I wrote that many in his state are angry with him.
And with poverty rates as high as they are in Oklahoma, it is difficult to see how the Sooners will be able to "help each other."
This sort of enormous disaster requires help from everywhere, including the federal government.
At Salon today and written by the same lib tool who publicly hoped the Boston bombers would be white: " Anyone regret slashing National Weather Service budget now?"
Puhleeze!
The storm did not occur because the NWS had budget slashed.
Isn't Oklahoma part of Tornado Alley, an area with a history of devastating tornadoes?
Ugh: She thought she was making a topical political joke, but a co-creator of ‘The Daily Show’ managed to enrage many of her followers after tweeting joke about the Oklahoma tornado’s political motivations.
‘This tornado is in Oklahoma so clearly it has been ordered to only target conservatives,’ wrote comedian Lizz Winstead, in a tweet, around 3:30 Monday afternoon.
The tweet was an apparent attempt at using the occasion of the May 20 twister to comment on the scandal currently plaguing the IRS and Obama administration....
[the Daily Show creator]
Coburn and Inhofe didn't win their Senate seats as Crackerjacks prizes, and you can bet most Moore voters voted for them. One could see a bit of poetic justice in this. Let's let that go for now. Too many people have lost their lives. Too many have lost loved ones, including small children and pets. Too many have lost all their worldly possessions.
Federal aid will be forthcoming, as it should be. Maybe some tornado victims will come to appreciate that their federal government can and should help people who through no fault of their own are in dire straits. Maybe some will come to appreciate that their government can do, and is doing, a pretty good job, along with state and local governments, of helping the stricken. If so that would be a good thing because it might bolster their willingness to support aid for victims of future disasters, whoever and wherever.
In the meantime, an ounce of sincere prayer or respectful, hopeful thought is worth more than a semi-load of politics. The kind of loss and grief you'll find in Moore, Okla., today wears no party label and has no ideology. It's just painful and overwhelming.
Facing questions on his position about federal disaster aid Tuesday, //Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma confirmed he would want to offset any relief money with cuts to other parts of the budget but quickly added now was not the time do be discussing such matters.
"It's insensitive to even talk about it now," Coburn said in an exclusive interview with CNN's Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash on Capitol Hill. "It just shows the crassness of Washington versus the sensitivity that we need to have."
Earlier this year Coburn and fellow Republican Sen. James Inhofe were two of 36 senators who voted against a large chunk of the massive federal relief bill for Superstorm Sandy, citing concerns about the hefty price tag. //
well gees, Coburn was not above using Hurricane Sandy to push his points,,,, and he is not ab ove pushing points on his own constituents.... and while relief needs to be sent immediately.... it is not insensitive to call him on his own words..... and to remind people of this at election time. Course, when 26 people , 20 children ....die of gun violence it was insensitive' to seek remedy? gimmee a break AOW
skudrunner you are avoiding the main issue.
Republicans have been attempting to limit disaster relief ever since Karina ("You're doing a great job, Brownie"). Disaster relief has in fact become a partisan political exercise through the efforts of the fringe right.
Your criticism is misplaced.
By the way skudrunner, without a warning system developed through Federal money the death toll would probably have been much higher in a storm of that magnitude.
Ducky,
Never let a crisis go to waste, can't remember who said that.
Coburn was not against Sandy relief but what he was against was 40% of the funds going to non Sandy relief and going to political pork.
Could the early warning system save lives, in this case a few. Unlike a hurricane , the prediction of where a tornado is going to hit is a very broad brush. Moore has a unenviable track record.
After the corruption of Katrina and the ineptness of Sandy, lets hope the federalists handle this better. It is the heartland that has proven the majority of help is next door and churches play a big part of the rebuilding.
your pal silverfizzle doesn't like to see you point out the crazies in the rethuglican paarty cuz he sez the dems have nuts in their partay too, except the reTHUGs have an endless supply of morons, breitbart-wannabes, savages, limbaughs, becks, mark steins, michele bachmanns, sarah palins, herman cains, mike huckabees, and this turd:
"While he explained that 'natural tornadoes' do exist and that he’s not sure if a government 'weather weapon' was involved in the Oklahoma disaster, Alex Jones warned nonetheless that the government 'can create and steer groups of tornadoes.'
According to Jones, this possibility hinges on whether people spotted helicopters and small aircraft 'in and around the clouds, spraying and doing things.'
He added, 'if you saw that, you better bet your bottom dollar they did this, but who knows if they did. You know, that’s the thing, we don’t know.'"
why does the rethuglican party attract these special asshats? is it the smell that attracts them?
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