Greensburg, Kansas Tornado

[Sparky-Watts]

Greensburg, KS just took a direct hit from what appears at the outset to be at least an EF-3 tornado. Witnesses described it as being 3/4 to 1 mile wide. Initial reports state that houses have been taken off at the foundation and decimated, very large trees sheared off at the ground. The tornado was on the ground at least 35 miles prior to hitting Greensburg, and is still on the ground 45 minutes later, moving 40-45 miles an hour. At that rate, so far the estimated track of damage would be 75 to 90 miles long and anywhere from 1/2 to 1 mile wide. Greensburg is 90 miles west of here and has a population of 1885. It's not a big town. A 3/4 mile wide tornado would easily take out half the town. So far there are no reports of fatalities, and scarce reports of injuries, but it is still early. Search and Rescue crews haven't even made it into the town yet, and they will be hampered by the trail of heavy debris on the two major highways into town. The tornado apparently followed US 183 for about 15 miles before striking the town.

I have a few acquaintances from Greensburg, though no close friends. Nonetheless, keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Reports now that 60% of the town has sustained severe damage, with the remaining 40% at moderate damage. My phone has been ringing since 9:30 with old friends wanting me to go with them for S&R. I don't carry a valid card anymore, so they wouldn't let me into the town. Damn, I wish I could go. Those people need me....they need all the help they can get, but lately the State Police will shut down a damage trail to outsiders due to the number of idiot rubberneckers that flood the area. So, as a result, I can't go do what I'm trained to do.....

 

[KrazyJeeper]

Sparky, I would go regardless, you never know who will be there and let you in or not. It's worth a try and you will be sane for at least attempting to help. My prayers are with all the people who are suffering and have been affected by this. I know how it is to live in Tornado alley. Take Care and Go my friend.

 

[TwistedCU]

Woah! The reports I am reading online are pretty bad. One mentions "there isn't much left downtown". I'll be praying for everyone there Sparky.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

It gets worse as the sun comes up. All of downtown is pretty much leveled. Brick and cinder block buildings flattened. That, in my opinion, would take at the very least an EF-4 tornado, probably an EF-5, winds over 200mph.

There is already one confirmed death, but SAR is still going on, only about 2/3 of the town has been searched. Sirens sounded for 15 minutes prior to the strike, then quit when the power was knocked out. Some reports put the damage path at nearly 2 miles wide. That's huge. The biggest I've seen was just over a mile wide. The storm produced several tornadoes, all about the same strength. From my estimates, the damage path will be around 125 miles long, maybe more.

I haven't ruled out going up to help yet. They have shut down US 400 for 12 miles either side of Greensburg, as well as about 10 miles of US 183 to allow better access for emergency vehicles. I like that, because I know how hard it is to get through a string of rubberneckers in an ambulance, even with lights and sirens blaring. Those idiots have to know there are injured people needing help, yet they clog the roadways and won't get out of the way. As someone who's seen the effects too many times, I urge all of you to strongly spread the word to anyone you know: DON'T GO OUT RUBBERNECKING AFTER A SEVERE EVENT SUCH AS THIS!!!! Wait till emergency crews have cleared the area, you can watch TV and see all you need to see. During the Haysville tornado of 5-3-99, it took us over 45 minutes to go 10 miles due to the rubberneckers. I actually rammed a few vehicles off the road with the ambulance to get through.

 

[LRwrnglr]

Were you ought spotting last night Sparky? I know that the tornado up by Claflin was just twenty miles from my parents house and the wind was BLOWING!! But just seein if you were out in the storm at all.

LR

 

[TwistedCU]

It looks like the entire downtown area has been destroyed. I can't fathom that. Imagine your hometown gone on a matter of minutes. I suppose the 15 minutes of warning that Sparky mentioned saved many lives.

I imagine that many of the people trying to get into the area are trying to find out how their loved ones are, but even so it's a shame that any of them would hinder rescue efforts.

 

[LRwrnglr]

I heard that around 90% of the town is supposed to be demolished. The high school and junior/elementary school were destroyed. As of right now there are 9 casualties.

LR

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Were you ought spotting last night Sparky? I know that the tornado up by Claflin was just twenty miles from my parents house and the wind was BLOWING!! But just seein if you were out in the storm at all.

LR

No, I didn't go out. I sure wanted to, but we have the grandson this weekend, and the only vehicle I had to chase in was Sunshine's Camry, and I didn't want to leave her home without a vehicle, in case of emergency. Well, I've got the company van, but I don't suppose the bossman would appreciate me taking it out into a supercell storm. Besides, that thing is a dog, and I like something with a bit more pep when I'm spotting so I can get out of the way when I need to.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

It looks like the entire downtown area has been destroyed. I can't fathom that. Imagine your hometown gone on a matter of minutes. I suppose the 15 minutes of warning that Sparky mentioned saved many lives.

I imagine that many of the people trying to get into the area are trying to find out how their loved ones are, but even so it's a shame that any of them would hinder rescue efforts.

More than just the downtown area. 95% of the buildings in town are demolished, and the remaining 5% are questionable as to whether they can be rebuilt. The tornado was over a mile wide when it hit the town, and it hit it directly. The few structures standing are on the far western edge of town, and were just at the edge of the tornado. The town is 1.2 miles wide east to west, and 1.5 miles long north to south. The tornado moved almost directly north through town, engulfing the entire city limits. There is a half mile wide area through the center where there is nothing at all standing, then as you go out to either side from there, you can see a few walls here and there, and on the very edges barely recognizable buildings without roofs, or missing 2 or more walls. Very, very devastating. Unbelievable. Undescribable.

The death toll, as LR stated, is at 9 right now, 8 from the immediate area of Greensburg, and one in Pratt county. That one was a sheriff's deputy, from what I've been hearing. They are still making a final sweep of the town for more people now, and it is still expected that the death toll will rise as they dig deeper into the mounds of debris. Yet, for the size and power of that tornado to have only killed 9 is almost a miracle. Tornadoes that size are barely survivable below ground level. I give 100% credit to the spotters on the ground relaying the information to the news media to get the word out. A full 15 minutes of warning is fantastic! On April 26th, 1991, an F-5 tornado hit Andover, KS, killing 22 people. Although it was on the ground for 45 minutes before it hit, the residents of Andover were given less than 3 minutes warning. 20 years ago, the average warning time was 2-3 minutes. Today, with spotters and advanced radar equipment, the average warning time is 25-30 minutes.

 

[TwistedCU]

Amazing:

How tragic. So can we assume this was an F5???

 

[mud4feet]

Looks like the lower 9th Ward in New Orleans............almost 2 years later!:shock: :shock:

Hopefully, our government, whether it be federal, state, or local, will be more helpful to those folks. Everybody needs a hand sometimes.

Those folks are all in our prayers, Sparky.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

So can we assume this was an F5???

Yes, it was confirmed today by the NWS and the SPC that it was an EF-5. That is the first time that designation has been given since they switched over to the Enhanced Fujita Scale. Wind speeds estimated up to 260 mph, with sustained winds well over 200 mph. Bigger and more powerful than the OKC tornado of 5-3-99. It was measured at 1.5 miles wide as it passed over Greensburg, the widest F-5 or EF-5 ever recorded. Possibly the strongest tornado ever recorded as data continues to come in. That particular tornado stayed on the ground only 22 miles, but the storm spawned several in the EF-3 to EF-5 range along a path 125 miles long. To have only killed 9 people is still amazing to me.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Hopefully, our government, whether it be federal, state, or local, will be more helpful to those folks. Everybody needs a hand sometimes.

Those folks are all in our prayers, Sparky.

Rep. Jerry Moran made the statement Saturday morning that "We will not commit a Katrina response here in Kansas. We will take care of our own!" Just had to post that, since you made reference to FEMA's blunder down south. Yeah, that mess is still on everyone's mind. The tornado hit at 9:45 pm Friday night, and by 11 pm, the National Guard was on scene with 2 massive generators to supply power for search teams, AT&T was there by 6 am the next morning with phone service, and by noon, the rescuers and officials had everything in place they needed to conduct a proper recovery effort. EMS, Fire, and Police from as far away as 200 miles responded to aid in the recovery effort and to supply communication services. You have to understand that this thing destroyed the entire infrastructure; landline phone service, cell phone towers, the water tower (pictured above in TC's post), electricity...everything. There were no street signs, no landmarks to go by for rescue efforts. The search for survivors and bodies wasn't confined to homes and buildings, it was spread all over the area, miles northeast of town.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

We are in a terrible weather pattern. We have had continuous severe thunderstorm warnings and tornado warnings since Friday afternoon. Just today, we have been under a tornado warning a dozen times here at home, and pretty much constant tornado warnings just south and west of us. Currently they are tracking a large tornado about 40 miles west of me. People are getting pretty gunshy, and with all of these warnings, I'm afraid they'll stop taking them seriously and not take shelter. Only a couple of them have been actual tornadoes or funnels confirmed by spotters, the rest have just been areas of rotation indicated on radar.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

More pictures from Greensburg:

The tornado as it passes over Greensburg, backlit by lightning. It was totally dark when it hit, but lightning and powerflashes from exploding transformers illuminated it.

Main Street/US54:

More from the air:

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Imagine trying to find any personal belongings in this mess:

 

[TwistedCU]

Un-freakin-believable :shock:

I sincerely hope my company asks for volunteers to go out there and put up new phone service. If they don't maybe my church's mission teams will do something. Either way I'll volunteer in a heartbeat. I think my wife would be more than understanding if I needed to burn up some vacation time in order to volunteer.

We'll see. Until then prayers...

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Un-freakin-believable :shock:

I sincerely hope my company asks for volunteers to go out there and put up new phone service. If they don't maybe my church's mission teams will do something. Either way I'll volunteer in a heartbeat. I think my wife would be more than understanding if I needed to burn up some vacation time in order to volunteer.

We'll see. Until then prayers...

I'm sure the folks of Greensburg and the surrounding areas would appreciate that.

If anyone wants to help or donate:

Trained volunteers are in the affected areas now, but others who want to volunteer should call the Midway-Kansas Chapter on Monday 316-219-4000.

Andrea Anglin, spokeswoman for the Midway-Kansas Chapter of the American Red Cross, said one of the most significant things those who wish to help can do is offer monetary donations.

In the Wichita area, donations may be made to: Midway-Kansas Chapter, American Red Cross, P.O. Box 3726, Wichita, KS 67201.

Salvation Army emergency disaster services teams are on the scene, along with two emergency disaster mobile feeding units. The units, based in Dodge City and Hutchinson, are capable of feeding up to 2,000 people a day.

The Salvation Army has pastors on hand to provide spiritual comfort.

Anyone wishing to donate to the Salvation Army's emergency disaster relief efforts may do so by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Just heard a report on the news that 5 people were arrested for looting the grocery store in Greensburg. 4 soldiers from Fort Riley and one Missouri Police Officer! :shock: :evil: The very people who are there to keep the residents' belongings safe from looters! I hope they prosecute them to the full extent of the law! :evil: