Storm's fury over 6 states leaves at least 40 dead

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By TOM FOREMAN Jr.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A furious storm system that kicked up tornadoes, flash floods and hail as big as softballs has left at least 40 people dead on a rampage that stretched for days as it barreled from Oklahoma to North Carolina and Virginia.

Emergency crews searched for victims in hard-hit swaths of North Carolina, where 62 tornadoes were reported from the worst spring storm in two decades to hit the state. Eleven people were confirmed dead in Bertie County, county manager Zee Lamb said, bringing the state's death toll to at least 18 people on Sunday.

In the capital city of Raleigh, three family members died in a mobile home park, said Wake County spokeswoman Sarah Willamson-Baker. At that trailer park, residents lined up outside Sunday and asked police guarding the area when they might get back in.

Peggy Mosley, 54, who has lived in the park for 25 years, said she was prepared when the storm bore down on the trailer park. She gathered small pillows and other material and hunkered down in her small bathroom.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110417/D9MLHB2G0.html

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A lady inspectrs her home and car in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, April 17, 2011. Homes and businesses were badly damaged Saturday by a severe storm system that whipped across North Carolina, bringing flash floods, hail and reports of tornadoes from the western hills to the streets of Raleigh. In the Lee County town of Sanford, a Lowe's store was smashed by the storm. "The Lowe's Home Improvement has been flattened," said Monica Elliott, who works at the nearby Brick City Grill. "It's totally destroyed." (AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. You never hear about the PTSD of victims of storms.

It happens a lot, esp. when the wind blows.
those that leave their homes to seek shelter often become fearful of leaving home in the future.
The mental picture of so much damage takes years to erase.

[uppityperson]

4. I thought I was told the tornado missed our neighborhood. But it didn't.

Took me over 40 yrs to figure out why winds freak me out and what those odd memories of soggy carpets and debris were from.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. See?

I was 4 when a monster quake hit the Pac. NW,and just before or at the same time a siren went off, like the warning sirens they use now for tornadoes.
It took me years to realize why the sound of sirens made me fearful. Even fire engines from a distance, I would get anxious beyond "normal".

Now, after a few hurricanes, it is the wind blowing hard that does it.
With this last storm the lightening, the danger of tornadoes, did not bother me as much as the hard wind blowing all day.

[uppityperson]

8. It came to a head after Katrina

Trying to figure out why I had panic attacks while helping out afterwards. Then I found an essay my mother wrote after the tornado, I think trying to come to terms with it herself.

On the other hand, another sib has never felt this way about winds, but was the one to tell me that the post-Katrina destruction looked like our town did, but way way way way way larger. It was one of those "bing!" moments.

[AtheistCrusader]

13. That's the purpose of a siren.

Gets your adrenaline going, and lets you know 'look here something is happening'.

Before 'something' flattens you.

[bluestateguy]

2. I support federal aid for North Carolina and Virginia only

nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. The folks I know here who lost their house and churches to tornadoes

deserve whatever aid our Governor has asked for.
Dems live everywhere, ya know.

[AtheistCrusader]

14. They do, but we should be rubbing Perry's nose in it.

[loudsue]

3. This storm went right over the top of us. Whew! No damage to us, but

there was a mess in many places. It was noisy, soaking wet and everything blowing sideways.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. I thought it was windy Friday, but

62 tornadoes in my state. Wow. My power went out twice for a few seconds at a time only, and the sun
was shining.

But the wind was full force non stop Friday. My town didn't get hit by the tornado, or at least
not a funnel cloud.

Sorry for those who lost loved ones in NC and other states.

[aquart]

7. 40? My god.

[uppityperson]

9. k&r for the survivors and the victims

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. In MANY places in these states, the communities are very small and very broke.

In some places, whole towns have been erased or damaged beyond repair, and jobs lost because of it.
In 2 nearby communities here, 2 churches were flattened. They are the lifeblood of communities
( I say that with appreciation even if I do not attend those churches).
In our town, tho we were spared tornadoes, a huge tree did smash into a house, the people there are retired
and not rich.
Add in the loss of life across the South ( 47 people so far reported dead= a disaster of many dimensions which will haunt people for a long time.
I do not give a damn who voted for who, when it comes to the funerals, the loss of homes and jobs and income and family. People are in pain and fear and sorrow this week.
Where I live, we all hurt when communities are damaged.

[defendandprotect]

12. Gradually, Global Warming is claiming more and more lives --

Global Warming is a term which keeps the idea of HEAT -- HEATING UP THE ATMOSPHERE --

prominent in trying to understand what is going on --

That's why GOP rw propagandist, Frank Luntz, advised W in 2002 to switch its name to

"climate change" -- sounds like something normal going on, eh?

It is the heating of the atmophere which will bring faster melting of the glaciers --

and more and more chaotic weather conditions!



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