Tornado

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Joplin City officials have organized a support team of public safety employees and deployed them to Moore, Oklahoma to arrive later tonight. The team included approximately a dozen members from the police and fire departments. This group will offer assistance and conduct an assessment to determine the areas of support that may be needed as the community of Moore continues their search and rescue efforts and begins the cleanup work in their city. “As we saw the devastation that the tornado caused in their community, we began the preparation to send personnel to assist the city of Moore,” said Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr.

CARTHAGE, Mo. -- The National Weather Service confirms a tornado touched down Monday morning east of Carthage. The EF-1 storm damaged powerlines and buildings near Palimino and 13th street approximately two miles east of the Jasper County seat.  Wind speeds topped nearly 100 miles-per-hour.  The tornado struck a few minutes past midnight. A second tornado Monday morning hit the community of Lockwood.  That was rated as an EF-0.    

BRANSON, Mo. - Many signs of progress are evident, including active construction sites up and down the Missouri 76 strip.  Still, though, stark reminders remain of the tornado that hit on Leap Day 2012. Eight tornadoes roared across the Ozarks in the early morning hours of Feb. 29, killing two people and injuring 53.  The most extensive damage happened in Taney and Stone Counties when an EF-2 tornado cut a path of damage from Kimberling City, through the heart of Branson, to eastern Taney County near Protem.

NIXA, Mo. --  The storm shelter business has been booming in the last two weeks, here locally and across the Midwest -- and rightfully so.  Missouri Storm Shelters of Nixa says its in-ground storm shelters and safe rooms are tested to withstand 250 miles per hour winds.  At least one lady from Joplin says her DuPont Storm Ready room saved her life. Among those who are looking to buy a shelter is the Box family.  "Every summer when storms start up, we start saying okay...

JOPLIN, Mo. -- The National Weather Service provided additional insight into the decision to rate the tornado last Sunday at the top of the Enhanced Fujita Scale.  The tornado was given an initial rating of an EF-4 before it was upgraded the next day. Bill Davis with the National Weather Service said investigators look at structural damage and how far heavy objects were thrown.  This tornado, for example, tossed concrete parking lot "bumpers" that...

NEW ORLEANS, La. -- An apparent tornado has passed through the heart of Hattiesburg, Miss., as part of a wave of severe storms that have caused injuries and significant damage. A Forrest County fire official says there's major damage in Hattiesburg and to the northeast in Petal, including on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. He can't confirm injuries. The university says several buildings have been damaged but no injuries reported. Campus police have declared a state of emergency and asked anyone not on campus to stay away.

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Joplin is holding a town hall meeting on Monday night for those affected by the tornado. The meeting begins at 6:00pm, June 6th at the Taylor Performing Arts Center.   That's on the campus of Missouri Southern State University. City staff will talk about debris removal and other issues as needed.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo - Rock band Incubus is donating part of the proceeds from their May 22 concert to Joplin tornado victims. As the one year anniversary approaches, the band announced Wednesday that all of the proceeds from its upcoming Springfield pre-concert VIP meet-and-greet will go to the Joplin Rebuild fund. In a press release, Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd said, "We have a unique and blessed opportunity to share music with people and occasionally the need arises to share more than sound.

Joplin, Mo: Next time you're in a Pizza Hut or a McDonald's or a Starbucks... look around. Chances are you're surrounded by strangers. That was the situation for a group of people at a yogurt shop a year ago in Joplin. But, the tornado turned that collection of strangers into survivors and friends. Paul Adler reports: Stephanie Gregory doesn't need YouTube... The tornado images are seared in her brain. Stephanie says, when storms come around I get very anxious... And nervous...

NEAR STOCKTON, Mo. -- The National Weather Service confirms a tornado struck the Stockton Lake area during Monday's severe weather outbreak. The EF-0 tornado touched down about 3 miles south of Stockton along East 1674 Road shortly after 6:30 p.m.  The tornado followed a two mile long path through the Orleans Trail public use area.  It then lifted over Stockton Lake.  Wind speeds topped 85 miles-per-hour.  The storm damaged a barn and...

CHRISTIAN COUNTY, Mo. - Striking images of the devastation in Oklahoma are forcing people far beyond the destruction zone to think about life and death. Local storm shelter companies are receiving inquiries from people concerned about their own safety here at home. "We are constantly seeing an increase in phone and emails coming across," stated Jordan Smith, with Red Zone Storm Shelters. Red Zone sells a newer design of storm shelter, which fits into the floor of a garage.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Springfield-based humanitarian organization Convoy of Hope has begun sending trucks with emergency supplies to the Moore, Oklahoma area, the morning after a devastating tornado claimed dozens of lives there and left a path of destruction. Assessment teams with Convoy of Hope had arrived shortly after the tornadoes hit, according to a news release from Convoy of Hope. "This is only the first phase of a full-scale response that will last for many weeks, if not months," Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope, said in the news release.

The tornado in Moore, Oklahoma has killed 24 people, but many who survived have lost everything. We are compiling a list of reputable organizations that you can donate to and help the people affected by the storm. RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS / NONPROFITS Convoy of Hope: Text "Convoy" to 50555 to make an automatic $10 donation. The organization's website also has a page dedicated to donations for the victims in Moore. The Salvation Army: Text "STORM" to 80888 or donate using the Moore tornado donation form on the Salvation Army's website.

NEWCASTLE, Okla. - A man in Newcastle, Oklahoma captured cell phone video of a tornado believed to be the one that eventually destroyed large portions of Moore, Oklahoma. Video uploaded to YouTube by user Charles Cook appears to show the funnel cloud dropping from the sky and meeting the ground. In roughly three minutes, the storm expands rapidly and its destructive power becomes apparent. Reddit user solvitNOW posted a link to the video on the site, saying the clip was shot by his father . "He was out that way for work today and just happened to be in the right place at the right time," he explained on Reddit.

NEAR GOLDEN CITY, Mo--An emergency manager reported a tornado touched down east of Golden City Monday morning.  Survey teams will be out today to see if there's any damage.  Tornado sirens also sounded in Polk County but we don't have a report of a confirmed touchdown. High winds damaged a barn near Aldrich, just north of Stockton Lake.  We're also getting reports of trees and branches knocked down in the same area along with power outages. In Springfield a tree came toppling down onto a car at National and Seminole.

JOPLIN, Mo. -- Joplin City officials have organized a support team of public safety employees and deployed them to Moore, Oklahoma to arrive later tonight. The team included approximately a dozen members from the police and fire departments. This group will offer assistance and conduct an assessment to determine the areas of support that may be needed as the community of Moore continues their search and rescue efforts and begins the cleanup work in their city. “As we saw the devastation that the tornado caused in their community, we began the preparation to send personnel to assist the city of Moore,” said Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - International humanitarian relief organization Convoy of Hope has an assessment team on the ground in the Oklahoma City area where a massive tornado struck the southeastern suburb of Moore, Okla.   “Our prayers are with the families who have been affected by the tornado,” says Hal Donaldson, president of Convoy of Hope. “Our team on the ground is already providing crucial information that will help us as we mobilize to send emergency supplies and teams to Oklahoma.”   Those wishing to make a contribution to the OKC and Midwest tornado relief efforts can make a secure online contribution by visiting:   www.convoyofhope.org . To place a $10 donation on your cellular bill, text the word CONVOY to 50555.