Tornado Levels Greensburg, Kansas

We got the call at 9 o'clock this morning. Goosebumps and nausea consumed me, as my father-in-law shared the horrific news. Ground zero was only thirty miles from him. The devastating tornado flattened the tiny town of Greensburg, Kansas at about 9:45 PM last night, Friday, May 4^th, 2007.

He called us, as he prepared to dedicate his assistance at the local hospital. He is a dedicated, regular volunteer at Pratt Regional Medical Center. Over fifty Greensburg tornado victims arrived there last night. In this rural farming area, everyone knows everybody. The coming weeks will be an emotional, physical, and spiritual roller-coaster for the entire Southwest and South Central Kansas regions.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Greensburg's tornado was a "4" on the Fujita Scale. Winds in the "4" rating are up to 260 miles per hour. The Fujita Scale is used to rate the intensity of a tornado by examining the damage caused by the tornado after it has passed over a man-made structure.(http://www.tornadoproject.com, accessed 5 May 2007, top of web page, titled "The Fujita Scale")

Multiple reports confirm the tornado was at least a mile wide. Wide tornadoes move slower, so the devastation zone is more extreme. Few buildings were left in-tact last night. One was the Kiowa County Courthouse, and thankfully another was the Carriage House Nursing Home. The hospital, the schools, the businesses and most homes are damaged or gone. Ground Zero includes parts of Kiowa County and Pratt County, Kansas, but Greensburg took the brunt of the hit from the twister.

The death toll for now is nine, but many remain missing. The number of dead may rise in the continued search for trapped survivors. Most injured were taken to Pratt Regional Medical Center, which has less than seventy beds. Wichita and Hutchinson hospitals also received some tornado victims. The American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and the National Guard have already arrived and taken action.

To inquire about the status of loved ones who might have been in the tornado zone, the local shelter set up by the American Red Cross can be reached by calling 620-672-3651.

Tornado season is far from over, and this little corner of Kansas is not out of the woods yet. More tornado warnings blanket the Nebraska and Kansas areas today, as the remaining people of Greensburg are ordered to leave the town this morning for their own safety. Evacuees have been placed in Augusta, Pratt, Rose Hill, Hutchinson and Wichita, to name a few.

Greensburg, Kansas was known for its famous "World's Largest Hand-Dug Well." With up to 90% of the town destroyed yesterday, it has a far different recognition in world news today. Heartfelt prayers whisper universally for her tornado survivors. Donations can be made through the American Red Cross at 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Ironically, five years ago this weekend, the most destructive tornado in United States history consumed an enormous stretch of the greater Oklahoma City, Oklahoma area. That tornado rated a "5" on the Fujita Scale, with winds up to 316 miles per hour. It occurred on May 3^rd, 1999.