Aerial of Kansas tornado damage

[Jeffrey Travis]

The only thing I can say is, "Wow."



The one thing I get out of this is that homes should be built like silos - they are the only thing standing.



The water tower is just in a heap.

 

[mookie]

Incredible devastation....

 

[Bob McDonald]

Whoa! Those are truly astounding.

 

[Woppy V]

Not to offend people... but why in the world would you live somewhere that is prone to tornados? tornado alley... i just don't get it.

 

[Travis Munday]

Why does anyone live near the coast then? Hurricanes and tidal waves you know. Or near volcanoes? Or near fault lines? Or near rivers/lakes that may flood? Or too low of land? Or an area that may get too much snow? Or any place where it might lightning, or hail? Or get hot enough to cause heat stroke? Or cold enough to get frost bite?



It doesn't matter where you live, there is always a weather or environmental threat of some kind; Pick your poison.

 

[A1cntrler]

Tiger--



Was about to post exactly what you said. Forgot to say where a drought may occur, or a Glacier may form....

 

[Nelson Atwell]

A meteor could hit anywhere.



Moore, Oklahoma had similar devastation. It was hit twice in one month and also a second time the year prior in the same location of town. People rebuilt and now things are back to normal. It is weird to see the neighborhoods affected. Some houses are brand new, and the neighboring ones are 20-30 years old.

 

[Josh Langel]

Not to offend people... but why in the world would you live somewhere that is prone to tornados? tornado alley... i just don't get it.

The same reason people continue to smoke, drink, and drive fast cars that are unsafe... because it's their choice.

 

[Gypsy me]

So sad for those folks. My ex lived in Greensburg several years, until he went into hospice last year. He passed away last Sept in Pratt KS, which I believe is about 50-60 miles from Greensburg. He had many friends that lived in Greensburg. I hope all of them survived it.



One thing I know. They will rebuild there. They are strong people (as many are in a crisis) and they will help each other get through the grieving of loss and rebuilding. They will be a stronger closer community for having survived it all.

 

[Jenn D]

One thing I know. They will rebuild there. They are strong people (as many are in a crisis) and they will help each other get through the grieving of loss and rebuilding. They will be a stronger closer community for having survived it all.

You mean...they're not going to cry foul and go after George Bush or FEMA for not preparing them? For not warning them? I don't understand. I live in FL (hurricane alley) and that's what I was trained to believe.



Of course, I am kidding. It makes me happy to know that true communties still exist out there. I wish only the best to these people and it is nice to know that when the town is rebuilt, they will be stronger because of it.

 

[Johnny O]

It doesn't matter where you live, there is always a weather or environmental threat of some kind; Pick your poison.

I live in one of the safest places from Mother Nature's worst (Pittsburgh), we still average one tornado every 20 years. Flooding is a different story, but again, don't live where it floods. That worked until two years ago when we got hurricane leftovers from down south and besides the rivers rising, water runs downhill, and places that had never ever been flooded and were nowhere near a river were underwater.

That said, if water ever gets to my house, it's way past time to build an ark and load the animals.



The link has a bit more news about Kansas, which may or may not be surprising.

 

[Woppy V]

okay ~ in my own defense.



I live kinnnda live near the ocean. But the thing is I know when a hurricane is coming well in advance to make preparetions! Just as people who live in the North know snow storms are coming & people near fault lines know that earthquakes are bound to happen and so have building regulations to withstand such events. These areas I can understand because there is warning & there are meassures that can deminish the death tolls and destruction in such events. But tornados come out of no where and are just a mass of destruction that IMO can not be prepared for. Hence why I wonder why people continue to stay. And YES it's their choice.... but esh... it's like playing the lottery when the prize is a destroyed house ~~ why buy the ticket?



once again - i dont mean to offend anyone. it's only opinion.

 

[Johnny O]

Hence why I wonder why people continue to stay. And YES it's their choice.... but esh..

Somebody's got to grow the food that the rest of us eat.

 

[Travis Munday]

Woopy,

That's one of the weakest arguments I've read yet. You are pulling some kind of sick joke, right?



OK, so you know the hurricane is coming...so you leave your home. Hurricane hits and your home is destroyed. You KNEW the hurricane was coming for at least a week, didn't stop your home from being destroyed. It doesn't matter how long you know about the weather event, it doesn't lessen then strength of it or somehow cause it to miss your house.



So, why continue to live near the coast? It's not as if everytime a hurricane is coming near you can pick your home up and move it out of the way.

 

[Bill V]

Woppy--



Do you have electricity and plumbing in your house?



Your aware that electricity can short out and start a fire, right? You're aware that water pipes can break, and completely wreck an entire house with water damage, right?



So why do you choose to live in a house with these dangers?



Because those dangers are very remote and rare--and when they do happen, it is even more rare that the severity of the damage is very catastrophic.



Even in "tornado alley", tornados are rare, and the odds of one hitting any particular house/property in any person's lifetime is very small.



Clearly you've never lived in the Midwest, and have no concept about the true frequency or risk of tornadoes.

 

[TomT]

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

There's no place like home

 

[Bill Ellis]

"Tornado Alley" does not really exist. Yes, there are parts of the country that are more likely to have tornadic weather only because they tend to have more thunderstorms. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and others are states that have a high number of tornadoes. Florida is among them too. In fact, every state in the country has had tornadoes. I've lived most of my life in states listed above and in 57 years, have never seen nor been affected by a tornado. I'll bet that no one who has lived in Florida for 57 years can make that same claim regarding hurricanes.

 

[TomT]

I had a cousin that lived in Kansas. He moved to New Orleans where he's safe!

 

[Kevin Palmer]

I was shocked a bit to see the silos still standing, but, if you look past them, so are the homes. Seems the tornado took a turn away from that area.



To say it is a devastated area may be an understatement.

 

[Shelby Crane]

Even in "tornado alley", tornados are rare, and the odds of one hitting any particular house/property in any person's lifetime is very small.

I was born in Kansas and spent a few years in Kansas/Missouri. I went through 9 tornado in my life time. All of which came within five miles of where I was at the time.



2 in Georgia (Gwinnett/Walton)

6 in Missouri (while at a rodeo and another while at the fair - SCARY)

1 in Kansas (Severy, KS)