Tornadoes

May 13, 2008 -- Oklahoma City -- In the wake of the deadly tornado that swept through the town of Picher on May 10, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry today asked Pres. Bush to provide a federal disaster declaration for Ottawa County. The designation would provide federal assistance to individuals and businesses in the tornado-ravaged area.

Picher, Oklahoma: Photo by peggydavis66 (CC)

“Picher is devastated, and its citizens are hurting,” Gov. Henry said.    » read more »

5/13/2008 -- Raleigh - RALEIGH – North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today met with local emergency response officials and conducted an aerial tour of tornado damage in Bertie County that occurred Sunday evening. Today he also sent teams of Small Business Administration officials to Bertie County to determine if the county is eligible for an SBA disaster declaration. If the county is eligible, uninsured residents whose homes were destroyed or received major damage would be eligible for low interest loans to use for home repair.    » read more »

May 13, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY -- Missouri Governor Matt Blunt and Mark James, Director of the Department of Public Safety, today cautioned Missourians to be prepared as more bad weather is in the forecast for the southwest region of the state.

“Tornadoes are often times Mother Nature’s most violent storms, and the devastation I witnessed yesterday is as devastating as it is heartbreaking,” Gov. Blunt said.

Tornado: Photo by OAR/ERL/National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL)    » read more »

ARLINGTON, Va. (05/12/2008) - National Guard members in four states were called out by their governors to assist civil authorities May 12 after tornados crossed the Southwest May 10 and flooding on the Delaware coast left communities in need of emergency assistance.

Arkansas Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Lucas Jennings discusses tornado response missions in Arkansas: Arkansas National Guard photo

Since May 7, the National Weather Service has confirmed at least 42 tornados in the southern Plains and the southeastern and middle Atlantic regions of the nation with the strongest tornado recorded May 10 as an F-4. It developed from a super cell storm that tracked through three states.    » read more »

5/12/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley this morning dispatched damage assessment teams comprised of state and local officials to Jones and Bertie counties to begin the process of assessing damage from the storm that swept through the area Sunday. The Jones team also will assess the damage in Onslow County.

“The evaluations of the damage assessment teams are important to the recovery of communities that have suffered damage and to help people start to get their lives back to normal,” Easley said. “I remind everyone to be cautious and not put themselves or others at risk by avoiding downed power lines, flooded roads, rain-swollen waterways and other areas of potential danger.”    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY – As Southwest Missourians begin to recover from the powerful storms that ripped through their communities over the weekend, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt encourages residents to be wary of scammers seeking to profit from mother nature’s destruction.

“Unfortunately, scammers see disasters as prime opportunities to take advantage of those most in need of help,” Gov. Blunt said. “I urge Missourians to take caution and research any home repair company that shows up at their doorstep as they work through the insurance claims process. Missourians can avoid scam artists by working with reputable, local businesses rather than fly-by-night companies.”    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- ATLANTA – Today Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in seven additional counties affected by tornadoes that struck on Sunday. The seven counties are Clayton, Crawford, Emanuel, Glynn, Jenkins, McIntosh, and Twiggs. The announcement follows an emergency declaration released on Sunday declaring six Georgia counties in a state of emergency: Bibb, Carroll, Douglas, Jefferson, Johnson and Laurens.

“We are working together to ensure response efforts reach all Georgians affected by these storms,” said Governor Sonny Perdue. “Joint local, state and federal assessment teams will continue to determine the full scope of the damage to businesses, state facilities and residences.”    » read more »

May 12, 2008 -- LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe today declared Arkansas and Phillips Counties state disaster areas due to the damage caused by tornadoes and thunderstorms on Saturday, May 10. The declarations are the latest in a long season of severe weather.

Tornado devastation in Arkansas: Photo by Debra (CC)

Beebe declared 11 counties disaster areas after the May 2 tornadoes, 60 counties after the floods and tornadoes of March and April and 13 counties following the record-setting tornado outbreak of February 5.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 11, 2008 -- The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working closely with states impacted from the recent severe storms and tornadoes as they assess damages. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff has spoken with the governors of Oklahoma and Missouri, and both he and FEMA Administrator David Paulison are expected to travel to impacted areas on Tuesday, May 13. State and local resources currently are addressing the most immediate needs as federal resources support their efforts.    » read more »

May 11, 2008 -- Oklahoma City - Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry made the following remarks today after surveying tornado-ravaged sections of Picher, Oklahoma. At least six deaths and more than 150 injuries occurred as the result of a tornado that swept through the Ottawa County town Saturday, May 10.

Oklahoma tornado damage: Photo by Matthew Minnix (CC)

The Governor toured Picher with state Department of Emergency Management director Albert Ashwood, Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment Miles Tolbert, state Department of Public Safety Commissioner Kevin Ward and state Adjutant General Harry M. Wyatt III.    » read more »

5/9/2008 -- Raleigh - North Carolina Governor Mike Easley today dispatched damage assessment teams comprised of state and local officials to Guilford, Forsyth, and Davie counties to begin the process of assessing damage from the storm that swept through the area late Thursday and earlier today.

“Sending these damage assessment teams is a vital step in the recovery process, and one that will help get life back to normal,” Easley said. “I ask people to take caution so as not to put themselves or others at risk by avoiding downed power lines, flooded roads and rain-swollen waterways.”    » read more »

May 11, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Since yesterday evening Missouri Governor Matt Blunt has been in contact with state emergency management officials regarding tornadoes that inflicted severe damage and took the lives of many of our fellow citizens in southwest Missouri.

Tornado damage: Photo by William Redman (CC)

The state emergency operations plan is activated to allow state agencies to assist with the local emergency response efforts. The hardest hit areas include Barry, Jasper and Newton Counties.    » read more »

05/07/2008 -- Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has requested a federal designation of agricultural disaster for Giles, Lawrence and Warren counties due to April 11 tornadoes that caused extensive farm damages.

A designation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture would allow farmers in these counties who suffered damages to apply for low-interest emergency loans to help them manage losses and recover during the growing season. Bredesen made the request in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer.    » read more »

May 2, 2008 -- LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe has declared Benton, Cleburne, Conway, Grant, Pulaski, Saline and Van Buren Counties state disaster areas due to the damage caused by powerful tornadoes and violent thunderstorms on Friday, May 2. More counties will be added to this list as preliminary damage assessments are done in other counties.

Lightning strikes in Arkansas: Photo by Melissa Jones (CC)    » read more »

April 18, 2008 -- JACKSON, Mississippi – Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour said today he will appeal the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s denial of his request for federal disaster assistance in the wake of destructive tornadoes that struck the City of Jackson and Hinds County on April 4, 2008.

Tornado damage: Devastation following a 2002 tornado in Columbus, Mississippi. Photo by Anita Westervelt / FEMA    » read more »