Aftermath

As it has made national news, I am sure that many of you have heard of the tornado that struck Joplin, MO around 6:00 PM yesterday evening.  Many of my readers know that I live in the Southwest section of Missouri.  I want to assure you that I am safe and fine, as I live approximately 40 miles from the location of the tornado.

Yahoo News Story on Joplin Tornado

Photos of Tornado Damage

My brother and his family live a few miles north of the devistation, and thankfully they were all at home and not in the city when the tornado hit.

The tornado destroyed a large section of Joplin, including a direct hit on one of their two hospitals.  The patients at that hospital have been transferred to hospitals in Springfield, MO, Pittsburg, KS, as well as smaller hospitals in surrounding towns such as the 25 bed county hospital here in my hometown.

The following information is from a Facebook page set up for information on the tornado:

"Live Press Conference is wrapping up. Please only repost confirmed information to avoid confusion and panic. So far - we know 89 people are confirmed deceased as of 5:30 a.m. * Search and Rescue is top priority, going door to door and grid search. * Patients in uninhabitable facilities have been transferred to nearby hospitals. * Unknown number of people still need to rescued from rubble. * 25-30 percent of Joplin has been directly affected. * Area radio stations have opened phone lines to answer questions and let you pass along information - Please utilize this. Phone lines will be busy but keep trying. This will be an immediate way to ask for help over the next several days if stations continue to offer this option. Please turn down your radio if you are live on air. 102.9 FM 1310 AM 102.5 FM 97.9 FM 93.5 FM 92.9 FM"







I hope and pray that all of my readers are safe.  Please be in prayer for the people of Joplin - they have a long road to recovery.