Oklahoma Tornados

[SUNRAY]

Storm chasers setting in our parking lot again this pm. We have quit selling alcohol and have let families into the bar for shelter. Many live in mobile homes close to here so they need a more secure place for shelter. Internet and phone service intermittent. Very strong straight line winds 80 miles am hour andsrble size hail here-reported 51 confirmed deaths withore to come as they sort through debri. Now all is deadly quiet. I think o liked the wind better. Thanks for kind words and prayers.

Mch love to you all.

Leslie~Thank you for letting us know you are O.K...I and the other friends are especially worried about you and others in the path of this story..do you know about other friends and the condition of the Kingdom Halls? I am concerned also about friends in Indiana and Ohio where the storm is heading..will keep checking here for everyone's welfare..Jehovah be with you and your family sending love your way..Elizabeth

Edited May 21, 2013 by SUNRAY

[clez]

Storm chasers setting in our parking lot again this pm. We have quit selling alcohol and have let families into the bar for shelter. Many live in mobile homes close to here so they need a more secure place for shelter. Internet and phone service intermittent. Very strong straight line winds 80 miles am hour andsrble size hail here-reported 51 confirmed deaths withore to come as they sort through debri. Now all is deadly quiet. I think o liked the wind better. Thanks for kind words and prayers.

Mch love to you all.

dear Leslie it must be terrifying for you I was soo worried cause I know u r in Oklahoma glad to see you are safe and still caring for others what a self sacrifing spirit you have may Jehovah bless your efforts all we can do is pray and maybe this will make more people listen to the truth. 

 

In adelaide people are soo protected it is sickening if someone has to wait 5 min and I mean 5 min in atraffic jam they get so impatient and upset.  If someone looks the wrong way or says the wrong thing its bush biscuits for them.

What would they do if they lost absolutely everything.   

Good book study in the Jer. book very applicable for your area.

 

I'll keep on praying for you all my love xxxxxxooooooo

[GrumpysWife]

My son, who is one of the elders there told me that the friends are OK. All have been accounted for but 2 as of last night. I haven't heard any more today. Don't know about homes though, I didn't want to take him away from what he needed to do.

[Bosko]

Dear brothers from Oklahoma You are in our prayers.

[RICIA]

Hi Brothers and Sister

 

While logged in on this forum and just listening to talk radio here in London, they are asking listeners to call in with their views as to whether the Oklahoma tornado has shaken ones' religious faith.....

 

The May Watchtower is food at the proper time...if only the world would see it that way too...

 

Love you all....

[jayrtom]

hope our brothers and sisters are well... I'm praying for them

[rocket]

As usual first reports are all messed up. Last night the death toll went from 51 to 91 and then this A.M. it has been down graded to 24. Thankfully the people had 1/2 hour to prepare or get away from it's path. Praying still for our brothers and sisters affected by this, whether it be ones there or stress out family members else where.

[LuanaGlobal]

The "Go Bags" are on my mind too.   Quick to grab and may help people get through the first three days after an event such as this one.

[jayrtom]

just had the opportunity to watch this on tv and seams really devastating... and 7 kids died on the school

this is an awful news

was it in the same location as these weekend convention?

[retroHelen]

It's headline news over here in UK too. Never seen so much devastation outside of shots of WWII Hiroshima after the' Bomb' or the Indonesian Tsunami a few years ago.

 

They also had footage of the massive tornado tearing through - how frightening it was. If our organisation was in charge, everyone would be helped to have a well engineered underground shelter to hide in, as well as 'to go bags'.

 

They said on our TV News that Universities say that the tornadoes are not more frequent than usual, though this one was especially strong/fast and devastating.

 

UK gets very small tornadoes every year, nothing worth reporting though - just a few chimneys and roofs get ripped off - because our terrain is so undulating they break up and many go out to dissipate at sea, but they are gaining strength in the last 3 years. It makes you wonder how much human activity eg: destroying layers of the atmosphere like the ozone layer or deforesting elsewhere or whatever, is making them stronger somehow??

 

Hoping and praying everyone is accounted for/cared for and folk can get help to rebuild/re-home quickly. 

[Anakalia]

Many years ago I lived near OKC.  A good friend of mine in Moore was able to get texts out letting all know they were OK and all in her cong were accounted for - some injured - and 2 homes of friends were leveled (one is a new sister of ours) - she expects many more will have damage but still livable like hers. 

And from what I recall of the hall location - not in direct path but maybe close enough for some damage.  I'll post more if I hear of it before the branch posts about it.

[Carol E]

This tragedy is such a good reminder to have our emergency bags updated and ready, as well as an evacuation plan and a system in place for notifying our family and brothers and sisters.  We were a little late in getting ours together, but it gives me a measure of peace of mind knowing it is together.  Unfortunately mine looks a little like when I go camping.  I always 'overpack' so I think I have enough for us and maybe a few other families.  I'm so thankful the faithful slave has us plan ahead! 

[Sheep]

just had the opportunity to watch this on tv and seams really devastating... and 7 kids died on the school

this is an awful news

was it in the same location as these weekend convention?

 

A brother in another thread reported: "Tornadoes touched down in several areas. None right in the vicinity of the Convention Arena at the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds."

[surfergirl]

I hadn't seen the news til my hubby had asked me did I hear what had happen

In Oklahoma.

What a shock. All those kids brings tears to the eyes.

I prayer too our friends there are going Ok.

I only checked back in to know you are all ok. & also Leslie.

May Jehovah be with you all.

[bagwell1987]

Link to before and after the devastation-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/before-after-oklahoma-tornado-pictures_n_3313690.html

I didn't, couldn't fathom the destruction. This is from someone I know in the Department of Ecology in Seattle.

[bagwell1987]

Oh, you have to take your mouse from the right to catch the line and pull it across the page.

[Musky]

Oklahoma tornado Monday afternoon.

 

We just got an update from Oklahoma RBC

 

All brothers accounted for.

 

4 Homes destroyed

3 Homes severely damaged

3 Homes moderately damaged

[trottigy]

Tornado warnings?  - http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/21/us/oklahoma-warning/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

The massive tornado that devastated communities in Oklahoma Monday touched down near the town of Newcastle just five minutes after the first warnings went out, according to the National Weather Service.

But residents of Moore, which would be hardest hit by the killer storm, had about 30 minutes before the twister entered the western part of the city, CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said Tuesday.

It sounds like enough time to act, but in the wake of tragedy, the question always persists: Could more have been done to warn residents of the monster tornado?

The science and technology behind severe weather prediction continues to improve, and many of the tools in place were deployed during Monday's tornado.

 

 

[trottigy]

We have the perfect magazine to help ones understand how God is or isn't involved in all of this - May 2013 ( Here ) Is God cruel?

 

So many are asking questions - I am glad we are able to provide the answers. Some people though are "hell bent" on blaming God or worse - saying he doesn't even exist!!

 

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/21/who-hears-prayersforoklahoma/?hpt=hp_c2

 

Gervais, an ardent foe of organized religion, was more caustic.

After MTV tweeted that pop stars Beyonce, Rihanna and Katy Perry are sending their prayers to Oklahoma, Gervais responded, “I feel like an idiot now … I only sent money.”

 

 

Edited May 22, 2013 by trottigy

[Gi-Gi]

The sirens just went off here! That makes me just a little nervous, because the weather seems to have quieted down except for a little thunder rumbling.

You okay?

[cresyj]

Glad to know the friends okay. Things can be replaced, people cannot in this system..Keeping our brothers and sisters in thoughts in prayers.

[bogartd]

How horrible for these people ! So many things happening, one after another. Praying all our friends are doing ok. Watched the news about the children in the school that were killed.Always upsets me so, when innocent children come  to harm.Stay safe Bro and sisters. Agape, Donna

[Allabord4Jah]

Hello!

 

Hopefully this will soon be on our JW.ORG site.   Got this 5 minutes ago:

 

TORNADO REPORTS FROM BETHEL

May 22, 2013

 

Vietnamese, American Sign Language, English & Spanish Congregations

 

COs and RBC reports that as of today, among our brothers and sisters no reported fatalities.

 

MOORE, OK

One sister broke her leg

4 homes completely destroyed

7 homes severely damaged

 

SHAWNEE, OK

2 homes of brothers destroyed

 

GRANBURY AND CLEBURNE , TX

There are 2 English and 2 Spanish

Congregations report ...

3 homes had heavy damage and several others had minor damage

 

 

[Musky]

I received a similar email:

 

 

Brother Mike Andrews of Lawton, Oklahoma is an elder there and has been helping out with the relief work for the friends after this week’s tornado. He reports:

The latest on the Moore tornado:

1) All publishers are now accounted for

2) One sister sustained a broken leg and is being treated in a local area hospital, no other injuries have been reported

3) For our fellow Witnesses - Four homes were destroyed, three suffered severe damage, 3 suffered moderate damage

4) No Kingdom Halls are reporting damage

5) The RBC has set up it’s relief headquarters and is organizing the efforts to assist – the branch has provided specific direction that is being followed closely

6) RBC Recovery and Assessment crews are already on-site to begin the task of organizing and rebuilding (so far, we are the first crews of any organization who are ready to enter the affected area and begin the effort to recover personal items and organize rebuilding efforts)

7) All immediate physical and spiritual needs of the affected families are being cared for

8) The RBC will call volunteers for the relief efforts through their normal channels of communication

9) The friends can continue to help by praying for all in the affected area

10) Material contributions are best made by contributing to the World Wide Work

 

 

[Rosalie4u]

I am very relieved that the injuries are a low number for our friends.  I know that the friends will be there to help them as much as possible to get back on their feet.