Joplin Tornado Hits Close to Home

With the death toll expected to top 100, the tornado that devastated Joplin Sunday will rank among the most lethal in Missouri history, according to Pat Guinan, state climatologist the University of Missouri Extenision’s Commercial Agriculture program.

The deadliest tornado outbreak in Missouri killed 152 people in central and southwestern Missouri when eight tornadoes struck on April 18, 1880, and the state’s deadliest single tornado, a category F-4 with wind speeds up to 260 mph, killed 137 people and injured 800 in St. Louis on May 27, 1896.

According to Guinan, Missouri sees an average of 32 tornadoes each year, with 70 percent of them appearing between March and June.

Emergency operations in Joplin are expected to continue. The Greater Ozarks Chapter of the Red Cross has established a shelter for victims and pets at the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center at Missouri Southern State College.

Gov. Jay Nixon activated the Missouri National Guard to respond to the area, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol also has sent additional troopers to the Joplin area. The State Emergency Management Agency is helping to coordinate the deployment of search and rescue teams, a disaster medical assistance team, communications vehicles, mobile command vehicles, heavy equipment and an incident support team. The incident support team will provide support to the emergency operation center, according to Mike O’Connell, communications director at the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

Approximately 140 guardsmen are assisting in search and rescue missions in support of local authorities, and are expected to conduct a number of missions in the upcoming days including emergency route clearance, communications support, door-to-door safety visits and security. 

Nixon today announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency has extended disaster assistance to individuals and families in Jasper and Newton counties, which bore the brunt of last night’s weather.

Under this declaration, individuals may be eligible for federal assistance to cover uninsured losses or expenses, such as temporary housing, home repair and replacement of household items.

"Missouri continues to respond with every available resource to the deadly storm that left so many residents in need of assistance,” Nixon said in a statement. “Our priorities are search and rescue operations, providing medical care to the injured, and providing a safe environment for the affected communities. This quick federal action will help provide the resources to assist Missouri families with their recovery in the tough days ahead.” 

Nixon is traveling today to areas hit by last night’s storm to survey damage and meet with emergency personnel. 

Missourians interested in volunteering to assist should first call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1, instead of reporting directly to a command post or the disaster area. Those with medical skills interested in volunteering should go to: https://www.showmeresponse.org/.

Missourians wishing to make donations to help with the relief effort can go to http://www.sema.dps.mo.gov/recover/donations.asp or call (800) 427-4626 or 2-1-1.

Residents affected by the tornado who wish to notify their friends and family that they are safe should visit https://safeandwell.communityos.org/cms/index.php. Friends and family who would like to check on their loved ones in the affected area can use the same site.

For questions about individual assistance and to register, Missourians can contact FEMA directly at 1-800-621-3362. They may apply for disaster assistance online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, visit www.moguard.com.

For links to disaster-related resources from MU Extension, including publications, news, feature articles and videos, visit http://bit.ly/MUExtDisasterResources.