Monday, May 20, 2013

300 Homes damaged or destroyed during weekend tornadoes !



A rash of tornadoes wreaked havoc in Oklahoma and the Midwest on Sunday and Monday, destroying homes and tossing trees around like toothpicks.

But the destructive weather isn't over. Baseball-sized hail, wind gusts and tornadoes could pummel parts of the central Plains and Midwest through Monday.

Early Monday morning, a tornado touched down in Golden City, Missouri, and tore through two counties, Barton County Emergency Management Director Tom Ryan said. The number of injuries and extent of damage were not immediately clear.

Hours earlier, one man was killed in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, where a twister reduced trailer park homes to piles of debris.

An estimated 300 homes were damaged or destroyed across Oklahoma, Red Cross spokesman Ken Garcia said. At least 200 of those homes are in Pottawatomie County.

Dozens of deputies sifted through the rubble at Steelman Estates trailer park overnight, Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth said. Two people reported missing there were found late Sunday night.

As many as 28 tornadoes were reported in Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois and Iowa, according to the National Weather Service, with Oklahoma and Kansas the hardest hit. Some of those reports might have been of the same tornado.

A tornado that touched down near Wellston, Oklahoma, appeared to be a half-mile wide, according to CNN affiliate KFOR.

"It's tearing up everything," the affiliate's helicopter pilot said. "Just ripping everything up in its sight."

Twisters were also reported near Dale and Prague, Oklahoma. One apparently touched down in Shawnee, flipping over tractor-trailers on Interstate 40.

Eleven patients were being treated at St. Anthony Shawnee Hospital in Shawnee, Oklahoma, including one in critical condition, spokeswoman Carla Tollett said. More tornadoes were spotted in Iowa, near Earlham, Huxley and east of Dallas Center, according to the National Weather Service. The agency also confirmed a twister in the northwestern Illinois county of Carroll. Several of the states pummeled by weekend tornadoes could see more trouble Monday. Here's a quick look at CNN meteorologist Melissa Le Fevre's forecast:

Oklahoma
The Sooner State could see more strong storms late Monday afternoon, and flooding could become a problem Monday night.

Kansas
Showers and thunderstorms threaten the state through Monday. Heavy rainfall in some parts may lead to flood watches and warnings.

Iowa
Showers and storms are expected to develop on Monday afternoon, with large hail possible. Though the threat of tornadoes threat looks low, it can't be ruled out.

Missouri
Parts of Missouri could be flooded by heavy rainfall. Afternoon storms could produce large hail, damaging wind gusts and possible tornadoes in areas such as St. Louis.

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