May 20, 2013 Tornado: News & Information

[HOT ROD]

My sincere condolences go out to those affected by this monster tornado. As an Oklahoma City expat, I am amazed and horrified at the same time by this tornado but I am also gratified and proud at my fellow Oklahomans who survived this and am very saddened by those who perished. I am shocked there wasn't more loss of life but am so very thankful to that - and that is a testament to the weather technology that exists in the OKC metro.

Please everyone invest in ground shelters, there should be one for every 5 people in my opinion. I hope there is some serious steps made going forward now that we know ground level is the only way to survive an F4+ tornado.

God Bless Oklahoma!

[Martin]

here's one thing i like about our state... this is the line of people going into moore to help out:

[OSUMom]

Moore is more developed now than in '99 and the dollar has inflated, so in terms of pure dollars, this storm will be significantly more expensive.

But the wind-speeds in the '99 storm were unreal.

Plus in 99 wasn't the death count total for the OKC area for the whole storm? There were several tornados and quite a few of them got pretty big. Now that one that hit Moore was indeed unreal in wind speeds. Seems like I recall seeing some houses that had been hit while that one was at it's full force and there wasn't even rubble. Just stripped foudations.

In this one aren't all the 24 dead right there in that area in and around Moore?

So saying which one was 'worse' is kinda an apples and oranges thing. Depends on what angle you are looking at.

[Dustin]

[Dustin]

[ou48A]

[venture]

Plus in 99 wasn't the death count total for the OKC area for the whole storm? There were several tornados and quite a few of them got pretty big. Now that one that hit Moore was indeed unreal in wind speeds. Seems like I recall seeing some houses that had been hit while that one was at it's full force and there wasn't even rubble. Just stripped foudations.

In this one aren't all the 24 dead right there in that area in and around Moore?

So saying which one was 'worse' is kinda an apples and oranges thing. Depends on what angle you are looking at.

May 3rd-4th outbreak was significantly larger than the May 20th event. The human death toll was 44 if I remember right, with 36 of those in Oklahoma and the other 7 in Wichita.

[Bunty]

May 3rd-4th outbreak was significantly larger than the May 20th event. The human death toll was 44 if I remember right, with 36 of those in Oklahoma and the other 7 in Wichita.

Good thing the tornado didn't occur on a weekend afternoon, since, no doubt, a lot more people would have been at home in harm's way. The Joplin tornado with over 150 deaths happened on Sunday.

[OKCTalker]

My apologies if this was asked & answered earlier.

Initial reports indicated that 20-30 children were believed killed inside the Plaza Towers Elementary School, in addition to the seven confirmed killed. Then there was nothing. I certainly haven't seen that they died, but I haven't seen any correction.

Have they been located safe & sound?

[ou48A]

mm

[zookeeper]

My apologies if this was asked & answered earlier.

Initial reports indicated that 20-30 children were believed killed inside the Plaza Towers Elementary School, in addition to the seven confirmed killed. Then there was nothing. I certainly haven't seen that they died, but I haven't seen any correction.

Have they been located safe & sound?

Several people have spoke to this. It all comes down to too many chiefs and not enough indians. So many agencies were at work together and in the chaos that followed, numbers were getting crossed and reporters were reporting what they heard from "sources" who weren't necessarily in a position to know. This is happening too often in every important news event in the age of Twitter, instant news, and people that want to know NOW.

To the question, yes all were accounted for.

[OKCTalker]

Thanks, Zoo. I remember watching dozens of firefighters digging through rubble Monday night, then being called off as cadaver dogs were brought in as the operation turned from rescue to recovery. The firefighters were shown walking dejectedly from the area, and word went out that 20-30 children were believed to have been crushed by a collapsing wall. Then nothing after that.

[venture]

Some interesting information on a map.

Every Tornado in Moore Since 1893, Mapped - Philip Bump - The Atlantic Wire

Sid good find, but unfortunately the map is really inaccurate with the paths. I'll try to work on something once the NWS Norman page isn't being flooded with traffic.

[LocoAko]

[Dustin]

TIL a EF4 tornado went through my neighborhood at some point in time.

[Dustin]

I hate to post a link to LandThieves.com because the content is usually immature, but the comments in this thread are chilling. Excuse the nudie avatars.

LandThieves.com

[ljbab728]

Why did the kids drown? Did the ceiling fall on them and they couldn't move?

It has now been reported that they died from suffocation rather than drowning.

[mmonroe]

Pictures and Names of the 24 souls lost
Youngest tornado victim was just 4 months old - CNN.com

[OKCisOK4me]

This guy did video from his storm shelter below the floor of his garage. Frickin crazy!!

Super Close View of Moore Oklahoma Tornado 5/20/13 - YouTube!

[Bunty]

This guy did video from his storm shelter below the floor of his garage. Frickin crazy!!

Super Close View of Moore Oklahoma Tornado 5/20/13 - YouTube!

He could have been hurt if that flying tire flew in.

[rezman]

I was kidding with you man, nothing mean't by it I understand people want to get in there and look around, but right now, people that were affected are the only ones that should be in the disaster area along with "official" photographers and journalist.

I know you were,.. all good here.

And I also think the photogs and journalist should back off a bit and quit sticking cameras and microphones in people's faces. But after loosing my home and belongings in a separate incident a couple years ago, I'm kind of biased that way. I couldn't get down my road and had to park at the main road and walk to my place. When I got there, Channel 5 was parked in my front yard, set up with cameras rolling.

[catcherinthewry]

And I also think the photogs and journalist should back off a bit and quit sticking cameras and microphones in people's faces. But after loosing my home and belongings in a separate incident a couple years ago, I'm kind of biased that way. I couldn't get down my road and had to park at the main road and walk to my place. When I got there, Channel 5 was parked in my front yard, set up with cameras rolling.

+1

[Anonymous.]

That video was very impressive. You would think the tornado was moving super slow with how long it was in frame, but it was just so big.

Props to that person who recorded that, despite the verticle video.

[Richard at Remax]

I don't know if anyone has posted this yet, if so delete, but here is google imagery of moore after tornado

Google Crisis Map

[Anonymous.]

That is really awesome. You can see how random tornadoes really are. Look at how it basically goes around Warren Theatre to the north and then cuts back down in front of it. Amazing.

Google has such cool products for free.