Scouse Express

Thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tornado,

Hope BE Members and their Families are safe.


Jim.

yellowroom

I can't imagine the terror of going through that. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone too. Are the Red Cross and Sally Army on scene?

There isn't anyone on the BE map in Oklahoma, something anyway.

joto

My heart goes out to those poor people that lost loved ones, and those who were injured. The loss of homes and other buildings is horrendous.

Michael

You would think that a concrete, brick, and steel buildings could withstand a F4 or F5 tornado but that is just heavier objects to fall on people. This was seen by the damage to the airport in Missouri during a previous tornado. About the only relatively safe pace is in a basement but even then, the ceiling of the basement (the floor above it) will likely fly off on a direct hit. Maybe people need to build bunkers in tornado alley.

mikelincs

The scenes of the devastation shown on UK news were horrendous, and I think that it's the size of the tornado that is so appalling, 2 miles wide, not the worst in wind speed, but cutting such a huge swathe through the area makes it such a tragedy.

Michael

Preliminary estimates were that it was a F4 which is 207 - 260 mph. That is as fast as the top speed of a Maserati and at 260, the Maserati would likely be flying.

civilservant

Certainly a bit windy. my thoughts with everyone.

To be honest, even lliving in GA, tornados are something that do occupy my thoughts.

paddingtongreen

At 260mph, the average lift to a roof would be about 121 pounds per square foot, but it comes in waves of higher and lower speed plus, the intensity is much higher at the edges and corners, once a corner starts to come adrift, the roof "unzips".

PS. 121 psf is approximately the weight of 10 inches of concrete.

Bob

Aye, really shocking stuff this. The Daily Fail had good over on this, with a lot of heart wrenching pictures of the devastation and rescue efforts.

Weeze

Just awful.

Donations can be made here:

Text REDCROSS to 90999 to give $10, or online at http://t.co/8IvgVZS6Yp

From the UK-

Brits can donate here: http://t.co/skNnRXo4jK

Nutek

Time lapse of the tornado on the ground here. (link can be a bit slow to load).

http://www.wmctv.com/category/240217...9#.UZt770SBMFI

Giantaxe

"Oklahoma Senators Jim Inhofe, Tom Coburn, Face Difficult Options On Disaster Relief"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...ml?ir=Politics

MarylandNed

Not all homes had basements. The tornado warning was in effect for only 16 mins before the tornado developed and it spent 40 mins on the ground. You would think that schools would have basements so that staff & students could take shelter.

Scouse Express

Plaza Towers School did have a basement, and by reports some Kids drowned taking shelter in it.

Building Codes need to be seriously looked at, when the process is complete.

As the area is frequently under the threat of Twisters, each new property should be required to have a Basement.

MarylandNed

That's just terrible. They definitely need to provide safe shelter at schools in Tornado Alley. That means safe, secure basements or bunkers.