About 6:15 this morning a tornado, preliminarily graded at an F-3 or F-4 came through NW Arkansas. It was fortunate for most of us that it touched down in a fairly rural area. It was unfortunate for some in its path. Three people, all in their 70's, have died so far and many more were hurt - some are critical. I was called out with our fire department to assist. Their own fire department was put out of service because the twister hit their fire station. From the photos, it looks like a total loss. Like any tornados, it left some unusual and spotty damage. One of the fatalities was killed in his milking barn while buildings around it look to be untouched. There is a barbed wire fence with its fence posts lying flat on the ground where they once stood and the wire is completely gone.
Give our neighbors a thought as you welcome in the new year tonight.
You got it, Jim! We had a little one go through this summer. Now that we have snow, the damage is all too apparent, again.
Wishing for peace for the families and friends of the lost, and a fast rebuild for those who lost property!
Glad you are safe, we thought for sure we would get one with as warm as it is here. It was pretty balmy yesterday. Flip-flop and t-shirt weather in Dec, while nice, isn't good.
Wow Jim, sounds like very scary stuff. So glad that you and Diana are okay. Our thoughts and prayers to all that were affected directly and indirectly. Happy New Year to you and Diana. Ali~
The tornado passed within about three miles of our oldest daughter's home. Our son-in-law got up when our fire department pagers woke us up and went outside. He could not see anything through the darkness and rain, but he could hear something that he described as sounding like a jet engine. We live about eight miles further from the path and our youngest daughter's family is four miles further than us.
Diana was called into the emergency department to help with the patient load. Her hospital took seven patients with four of them being classified as critical.
I am so glad you and your family are safe. I am sending thoughts and prayers to those less fortunate. I am sure Diana has provided the patients with great care and comfort at a very scary time in their lives.