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Storm Front Tears through 8 States, Red Cross Responds
Written by
Leigh-Anne Dennison
, Managing Editor, RedCross.org
Monday, April 03, 2006 — Severe weather including thunderstorms, hail, high winds and tornadoes cut a swath of destruction across several states in the south and central U.S. last night, continuing into today. News reports indicate that as many as 23 deaths may be attributed to the violent storms that passed through at least eight states, destroying homes, damaging buildings and knocking out utilities.
American Red Cross chapters in affected areas, which include Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee, immediately began a coordinated response across several states, pulling resources from neighboring chapters as needed, and engaging with other partner organizations.
Local Red Cross chapters in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee opened shelters or arranged accommodations for those residents who needed them and have begun feeding operations, providing meals and snacks to evacuees and responders. Red Cross Damage Assessment Teams in these and other affected states began work surveying storm damage across the region.
Tennessee, particularly Gibson County, appears to be one of the hardest hit areas with tornadoes striking a 25-mile path through five counties. The state also has the highest number of storm-related fatalities being reported. Red Cross chapters in Dyer County and Jackson opened shelters in Milan and Dyersburg, Tenn.
Areas of Missouri also were significantly impacted by the weather front. A sad example is the small town of Braggadocio, Mo., where reports indicate nearly all of its 50 homes sustained damage from the storms. Meanwhile, nearby Caruthersville, Mo., is reporting that up to 60 percent of the city may have been damaged, with anywhere from 60 to 70 percent of its 6,700 residents living in those affected areas. Local Red Cross chapters opened two shelters to accommodate residents.
Residents in Marmaduke, Ark., felt the fury of some six tornadoes, resulting in not only downed power lines but a ruptured gas line that prompted officials to limit access to the area. Hail four inches in diameter pummeled areas of the state, causing additional damage. The North Eastern Arkansas Chapter of the Red Cross also opened a shelter and is preparing its emergency response vehicle for possible mobile feeding operations.
A band of storms that swept through Louisville, Ky., ripped the roof off its National Guard Armory and tore down trees and power lines, making it difficult for responders to reach some rural areas. While not confirmed, it is believed that a twister also touched down in Hopkinsville, Ky. The local Red Cross opened a shelter overnight in Warsaw, Ky.
Just north of Kentucky, in Ohio, the National Weather Service has said that nearly every area in the southwestern part of the state has been affected by the severe weather front. The Cincinnati Chapter of the Red Cross is already helping families displaced by the storms, including temporary housing arrangements for 44 people, who were evacuated from an apartment building that was condemned after its roof collapsed due to storm damage.
Thunderstorms and high winds struck Indianapolis while the town was bustling with tourists for the NCAA Final Four. Storms brought down light poles and signs in the busy downtown and had concert-goers attending an outdoor performance by John Mellencamp running for cover in local hotels. Meanwhile, in central Indiana, the severe weather brought down trees and utility poles, knocking out power. Three counties in the state have declared a state of emergency – Davies, Jennings and Knox. Red Cross chapters established shelters in Lawrence and Jackson counties, and the Jennings County Fire Station was used to shelter 75 people displaced from a trailer park.
Because the danger doesn’t pass when the storm does, the Red Cross offers helpful information and safety tips on its Web sites, www.redcross.org and www.cruzrojaamericana.org (en Español), to help people protect themselves and the ones they love before, during and after disaster strikes.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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