Tough night in Arkieland By JR (Read 817 times)

[JR]

This is a report that has since been updated at least here in Arkansas:

news.msn.com/us/tornadoes-strike-central-southern-us-killing-2-1

The little town of Vilonia has also reported a loss of life and even worse with the main hwy going in hwy64 shut down they have a major gas line break from the tornado and officials are evacuating the entire town. Multiple injuries!


My wife is a RN on night shift at Baptist Hospital in Little Rock on the orthopedic floor and she dropped me a text about a hour ago and she reported over 30 patients in less than a hour, going to be a long night for her.

In Mayflower one death and Int. 40 still closed down when the tornado took out even the semis on the road.

At this point it seems to be calming down and I'm staying up to keep a eye on this. Both these towns are less than 40 miles from my house, yes a tough night in Arkieland indeed.




JR

[JR]

news.msn.com/us/tornadoes-strike-central-southern-us-killing-12-1

Updated and only worse, 11 confirmed dead. I managed to go to bed around 11:30 p.m. only to be up now with another cell of storms coming in. So far only tornado, flash flood and T-storm warnings.

I went out and dumped my rain gauge a few minutes ago and it registered nearly 3" of rain since 7 p.m. yesterday.

I hope this super cell as they labeled it weakens as it moves east and the rest of the country fairs better.

The latest TV reports list the tornado that hit both Mayflower and Vilonia as a EF3. Sadly only 3 years ago Vilonia was leveled with even the entire school system destroyed, please think of all these people and their families.

JR

[JR]

In about 30 minutes I'll get the grandkids up to get ready for school and on Mondays it's trash day, the day I take my trash cans to the highway curve for the trash man to pick up. As I walked down my driveway it was nice to see stars out, very long night, but not near as long as for these poor people:

news.msn.com/us/tornadoes-kill-16-in-arkansas-1-in-oklahoma

Death toll now stands at 16 here in Arkansas and could rise. The last tornado 3 years ago as I said destroyed Vilonia and the entire school system and reports are now as you can read, another $14m school destroyed, it was a tough night in Arkieland. T-storms still on the weather forecast to add to already flooded areas for today and tomorrow but the blunt of this system has passed us and heading for others in the east and south. They don't call this region tornado alley for no reason.

As I type here I am reminded of just how small we really are and while I'm relieved that my loved ones are all OK I am extremely sad hearted for those that suffered loss of life and their families.

My wife managed a text to me from her floor in the hospital that the entire hospital is on code yellow which simply means no one will leave until that status is changed.

For all of you who are in the path of this don't take any chances and take cover quickly before it hits.

JR

[cyborg]

Boy o boy,,,what a drag,,

[JR]

Latest reports still at 16 deaths in Arkansas with two children among the lost. As always with storms like this there are stories. I just watched a man from Vilonia that in the tornado of 3 years back lost everything and like most rebuilt and started over. The last tornado left parts of his home and some of his belongings which helped but on TV a few minutes ago he said building the house again this time would be easier. Nothing but the slab left and he was standing on it talking to TV reporters.

But as hard is that is there are still two things even harder to swallow, the 8 lives lost in Faulkner County where the city of Vilonia and the brand new $14m dollar school that hadn't even been fully moved into yet is now also gone.

At this point no one is still sure if all are accounted for, hopefully they are and we won't have another lost life to mother nature.

JR

[mike6736]

We were lucky just rain and high wind up on the mountain. Been nasty this weekend.

Magoo

[cyborg]

I designed a tornado proof house and (structures).,,, couldn't get anyone to even look at them 20 years ago,,,, idiots,,,, they said " they don't look like a traditional home no one will buy them",,,, one of the reasons I never considered settling there,,,, even tho it's one of the most beautiful parts of the country

[JR]

Disasters all around like no water, mudslides, hurricanes,floods etc. no perfect place to live. Good news though, death toll reduced to 14 as they counted one twice by accident.

JR

[cyborg]

It's sad ,, yes JR no perfect place,,, we wait in Cali for "the big one",,,,,

[ccprof]

JR - glad you and yours are ok. Dr. Barb and I were worried. We have some flooding but not much else.

[jvino]

Sorry to hear about the devastation I heard about it on the news. It has been very rainy here in Pittsburgh. Not really sure if we got flooding. Sorry again for the natural desastor and happy to hear you got great people in the hospital taken care of the hurt. Makes me sad to hear about stuff like this but that's life not all will be perfect. I have never been there it must be flat.