Arkansas Storms Leave 7 Dead, Town Of Vilonia All But Wiped Out

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Arkansas Storms Leave 7 Dead, Town Of Vilonia All But Wiped Out



A twister that hit the small, rural town of Vilonia late Monday tore roofs from homes and stores, and tossed vehicles into the air. At least four residents of the close-knit community were killed by the tornado. National Guard soldiers and law enforcement resumed the search early Tuesday for more dead and injured.

The main road through town of 3,800 was passable, but debris still littered the street. Officials set up a command post at a grocery store, whose roof was torn off and deposited in the parking lot by the storm.

Faulkner County sheriff's Capt. Matt Price said he wasn't sure how many people were missing. Late Monday, fire chief Keith Hillman said some 50 to 60 people were still not accounted for. Hundreds of emergency workers from several counties were checking homes.

"We're just getting cranked up. We're doing a pretty intense search," Price said.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/26/arkansas-storms-vilonia-wiped-out_n_853678.html

[Hestia]

1. The weather forecasters really called this one - was watching the weather reports

and they said for Vilonia to take cover, tornado on the way. This section of the state has been wiped out by tornadoes several times. Thought about buying land in that area...dunno now.

[HereSince1628]

2. As Garp would say, it is pre-disastered.

Once again we learn that everything humans can erect nature can tear down.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. Makes my heart ache for those people.

For those of us who live in out of the way VERY small towns, even one death is a lot.
A tornado can devastate these towns, whose economies are not large.

[upi402]

4. Terrible

I wonder if climate change is gaining validty with more people as these violent weather occassions multiply.

[Art_from_Ark]

5. My home state has been getting pelted recently

First the flash flood that swept away that campground last year, then the New Year's Eve bird kill and tornadoes, then the fish kills, then more tornadoes, then floods in many parts of the state, and then more tornadoes. I can't remember a one-year period ever when the state had to cope with so many different disasters.