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Twisters Rip Through Midwest, Maryland
Written by Mason Anderson, Staff Writer, RedCross.org
April 29, 2002 — On Sunday (April 28), a series of powerful storm systems tore through the United States from Missouri to Maryland, spawning at least 30 tornadoes that left six people dead, dozens injured and hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed. The American Red Cross has set up shelters for residents left homeless and is assessing damages throughout the affected communities.
Nothing but wreckage is left of the American Red Cross Charles County Chapter in La Plata, Md.
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Maryland suffered the most severe damages when an F5 tornado, measuring as wide as 20-feet with winds of up to 318 mph, touched down in La Plata and tore through a 12-mile stretch of the town, leveling buildings and toppling cars, according to MSNBC. At least three people were killed and more than 90 others were rushed to local hospitals with minor to severe injuries.
"I looked outside last night and the sky was bloody red. It looked like the whole city was on fire," said La Plata resident Vincent Kordack.
A curfew was in effect in La Plata Sunday evening to keep people off the streets.
By the time the skies had cleared, dozens of homes and buildings, including the American Red Cross Charles County Chapter, had been destroyed.
The Red Cross set up a shelter at the Thomas Stone High School for nearly two dozen people whose homes sustained damages.
"We had no building and no car but we were prepared for a disaster and responded immediately. Anything that was wood or windows is gone," said Mike Zabko, executive director of the Charles County Chapter.
The twister, one of the strongest in Maryland's history, moved eastward from La Plata through a rural area. After passing through the town of Benedict, the system plowed across the Patuxent River and entered Calvert County, dropping golf ball-sized hail along the way. Some 6,500 residents in the area were left without power.
Emergency workers were combing through wreckage Monday morning, searching for trapped and injured residents.
Another system of storms battered the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys Sunday, triggering tornadoes in Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee. In eastern Missouri, an F3 tornado with winds of up to 180 mph and as wide as two football fields, whipped through Marble Hill, just south of St. Louis. A 12-year old boy was killed after being swept up in the twister and tossed some 50 yards. More than a dozen other residents were injured, and several homes were destroyed.
The tornado then traveled eastward into southern Illinois before turning westward into northern Kentucky.
"We may end up with a tornado path length of over 100 miles, if it all pans out like we think," Jim Packett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service told CNN.
The F5 twister was one of the strongest in Maryland's history.
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In Dongola, Ill., a 69-year old woman was found dead in her mobile home after it was struck by the massive tornado. In Kentucky, the towns of Irvington and Providence were hit hardest. More than a dozen residents were hospitalized, and a man was killed outside his mobile home on the southwest side of Irvington.
Red Cross volunteers are travelling throughout the region assessing damages.
"We opened a shelter in Webster County and served about 800 meals to residents. Nurses, mental health counselors and disaster volunteers are on the scene to help. We're right in the middle of damage assessment, but right now it looks like 10 counties were affected and nearly 200 homes were damaged or destroyed," said Carol Grider, director of disaster services for the Louisville Area Chapter.
Several other tornadoes were reported in Indiana and Tennessee. Tobensport, Ind., where 10 residents were injured, sustained the most severe damages in the state. In the Murfreesboro area of Tennessee, about 30 miles southeast of Nashville, a tornado with winds of up to 140 mph tore down a 10-mile path, injuring dozens.
"We've found the most damages in Rutherford County where about 70 homes have been damaged. We had volunteers on the scene immediately to distribute meals and water to the residents and emergency crews. Two shelters were opened right away Sunday in Lake County and in Murfreesboro," said Chris Davis, communications director for the Knoxville Area Chapter.
Sunday's storms are the fourth round of massive twisters that have torn through the United States within two weeks. Since April 16, at least 7 people have been killed and more than 500 homes have been destroyed by tornadoes.
Related Links
- Red Cross Urging Preparedness as Tornado Season Arrives
- American Red Cross — Tornado Safety
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year 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 those in need. You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives.
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