Massive tornado rips through Moore, Oklahoma; 24 killed, officially

Jerruh

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As far as I know, most schools in town have shelters/hardened structures in place. Briarwood elementary took a direct hit as well and all of the children made it out safely. Plaza towers to my recollection is the oldest school in town and for whatever reason didn't get the upgrades it needed after the May 3rd tornado. Very sad that this wasn't accomplished before hand.
 

WV Cowboy

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Jerruh;5087201 said:
Plaza towers to my recollection is the oldest school in town and for whatever reason didn't get the upgrades it needed after the May 3rd tornado. Very sad that this wasn't accomplished before hand.

Oh.

Yes, very sad, .. especially in light of the frequency of tornados in this area.

Seriously, someone should have to explain that.
 

Jerruh

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Agreed. I was talking to some people that still live here and from what I gather there were plans for the hardened areas for the school but there wasn't enough tax funding. All word of mouth and I haven't dug any further but either way it should have been done a decade ago
 

WoodysGirl

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Jerruh;5087187 said:
I've been in Moore on leave since Thursday. I was about 2 miles away from the path of the tornado when it hit. Our neighborhood is the one that got hit in 1999 and 2003. It's insane the destruction that this one caused.
After the tornado passed, we were able to get ahold of all of the family and friends except my cousin and her family. Their house is on 4th and Santa Fe directly in the storm path. My wife and I made our way over there to make sure they were ok. Now I've been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as well as lived through two monster tornados and the images that I saw were unimaginable.
My cousins kid goes to plaza towers elementary school and when we heard it was hit my wife and I freaked and tried our hardest to get ahold of Becky and Vic to make sure they picked him up and got the hell out of dodge. Thankfully they did.
It is an absolute miracle that children survived in that school. My heart goes out to those that lost love ones but I can't help but feel a great sense of relief that Isaiah wasn't in that school when it hit. It is going to be a long recovery for my home town but people are strong here and this isn't our first rodeo. I only hope that the families that have been separated are reunited soon.
It's truly overwhelming to read and see the destruction being reported. I can't imagine actually living and having to recover from such destruction.

So I just wanna say I'm very thankful you and your family were able to survive the tornado... True blessing.
 

Jerruh

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Thank you WG. It's been a bad day for Oklahoma but we have been through this before. People are tough around these parts
 

SilverStarCowboy

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Have had maybe 2 hours of sleep just ate for the first time since yesterday, thankfully the death toll went down over night, thinking about those children and the parents is heart breaking.


Survived the 1982 Paris Tx Tornado, always thinking how easily this can happen.

Me and my wonderful wife were blessed with a child 2 1/2 years ago........those poor, poor babies....please help the families.
 

nalam

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Prayers are with this affected and hope they get through the losses of loved ones...

Nature has mysterious ways to nurture and Tacketh at times....
 

dogberry

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Hearing on the radio and tv, 12,000. Much more than I expected.
 

Jerruh

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Update: Turns out my cousins kid Isaiah lost one of his best friends when the tornado hit Plaza Towers. Please keep him and the family of Nicolas McCabe in your prayers. Very sad and he is having a hard time dealing with it. Thank you all for the support.
 

big dog cowboy

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3 hours drive from here but guys calling in sick this week to head down there to see what they can do to help. Local radio station promoting a "tornado aide' drive where people can drop off goods. Lots of support when stuff like this happens.
 

dogberry

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Now hearing 1150 homes destroyed.

The Oklahoman and KTOK AM 1000.
 

WV Cowboy

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Sometimes things happen that just take your breath away.

I can't even begin to imagine what a person feels, and thinks while in a tornado.

Last night while watching interviews with survivors of this tornado, .. each was composed and telling their story, but when every one of them described the moment that the winds hit, and the next few minutes, .. they all broke down and began to cry.

Emotional, .. very telling.

Each feeling alone, helpless, fear, very vulnerable and near death.

When we have high winds, we will say things like, "wow, do you hear that wind", or "man, listen to that wind", or "you can feel the house rumble a little bit".

For these people, the wind was tearing the roof off of their house, crumbling the walls around them, tossing horses and cars through the air like a paper cup.

Churning everything around them like a garbage disposal.

They were staring death in the face.

Can't imagine feeling winds with that much force, and feeling so weak, helpless, and vulnerable.
 
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