May 8th Tornado

Missouri doesn't seem to be in "tornado alley" as much as Oklahoma and Kansas, but we still get hit sometimes. In recent years, the worst storm damage has been northwest of Springfield. Last week, May 8, about 15 tornadoes hit the Ozarks. There were three fatalities statewide. Again, the area northwest of Springfield was hit hard. But a severe tornado damaged homes near Pomona in Howell County, only 15 miles southwest of Mountain View. And a smaller, but still powerful, tornado damaged homes and timber in Texas County about 8 miles north of Mountain View. Buildings in Mountain View were spared, but many trees and tree limbs came down, and much of the town was without electricity for about 10 hours.

Yesterday I toured some of the damage to the north and brought back some photos.



The elderly couple inside this home were both injured when the tornado moved the house 15 feet off the foundation. Neighbors had to clear a path with chain saws so the ambulance could get to them.






These trees, in the storm path just beyond the house, were twisted and snapped off.




Thousands of acres of timber were damaged. Salvage harvest operations are already underway. Logging it is dangerous because of many trees partially down and hanging in the overstory. The value of the logs will be greatly reduced.


Isaiah 45

⁶so that from the rising of the sun

to the place of its setting

men may know there is none besides me.

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

⁷I form the light and create darkness,

I bring prosperity and create disaster;

I, the LORD, do all these things.

By faith we understand that God is in control. God allows suffering for a season, but ultimately His supremacy will be revealed.