The Southern US devastated by Overlapping Tornadoes - Different States, Same Devastation
News analysis by Maria Wehbe, Staff Writer
January 2nd, 2022
Between Friday, December 10th and Saturday, December 11th, 2021, several tornadoes hit different parts of the central and southern United States, claiming many lives, destroying buildings and turning them to debris, and ripping families apart. The tornadoes led to the collapse of an Amazon Warehouse in Western Illinois, a nursing home in Arkansas, and a candle factory in Kentucky, all of which were among the buildings that were most destroyed. So far, at least 92 people have been confirmed deceased across the multiple states that have been affected, and in Kentucky alone, state emergency management officials and the state health department estimate the toll at 75 so far. It is said that more than 250 miles from Arkansas all the way to Kentucky might have been hit by one violent, long-track twister, according to CNN meteorologists: it reached speeds as high as 150 miles per hour. One single twister causing so much damage, and in Kentucky, it is said that the night of the tornado was one of the toughest nights ever recorded in its history: “The level of devastation is unlike anything I have ever seen”, said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. This was one of the largest tornado outbreaks in the United States’ history, and a lot of the damage is beyond repair.
Rescuers desperately searched for survivors, yet as time was passing, authorities said the hopes of finding those that were still missing was diminishing. The small town of Mayfield, Kentucky, with a residency of 10 000 people, suffered the most: not only was the candle factory destroyed, but also its fire and police stations. President Joe Biden has declared a major federal disaster in the state of Kentucky and this is considered to be the deadliest storm ever recorded in the American Midwest in decades. Most residents described the scene as an apocalypse and the destruction was just indescribable.
“Every Meteorologist’s worse fear is when the worst case scenario happens, and that’s what we have here”, said Noah Bergren, a Meteorologist for DW News. Indeed, this might as well be the longest tracking tornado ever recorded in the USA’s history. Most people no longer had access to electricity, water and food, yet most of them were just thankful to still be alive. However, what is important to note is that it is not normal to have tornadoes of this degree in December: it is said that the mixing of the atmosphere caused this to happen. Tornadoes aren’t rare in this part of the country, but they are not usually this strong and do not happen this time of year, but rather in the Spring time. Studies have shown that climate change does have an effect on tornadoes, as the conditions that produce the most severe thunderstorms, thus tornadoes, may form as the world keeps getting warmer, which is what is currently happening, claiming lives and destroying towns along the way.
With all of the tears that were shed and with all the heartbreak, the people were still keen on helping one another and contributing to the relief efforts to the biggest extent possible. It is said that Mayfield is a “very tight-knit” town and that after the devastating tornado, they were all helping each other get through this nightmare together. Also, more than 300 members of the National Guard went door to door in order to remove the debris. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency opened shelters and sent teams and supplies to the sites where it was needed the most, including approximately 30 000 meals and 12 000 gallons of water for those who needed it. In addition, President Joe Biden assured that he was closely monitoring the situation and that he was planning to travel to the regions most affected in order to survey storm damage when the circumstances would permit it, yet at the same time, he wouldn’t want to stand in the way of the rescue and relief efforts. And so, he spoke to the governors of the affected states and approved an emergency declaration for Kentucky in particular, thus allowing the use of federal funds for that state, while pending funding requests elsewhere for the time being. He tweeted the day following the disaster: “The administration is working with governors to ensure they have what they need as the search for survivors and damage assessments continue.”.
On a side note, it is important to make sure that the funds and donations that people are collecting go to trustworthy foundations and organizations. In fact, the New York Times went out of its way to warn people to do some research before donating to any initiative/organization/foundation in order to make sure that it is reputable and that the funds and donations would be allocated to people who truly need it and to the rescue and relief efforts in the most affected states. Some of the most well-known ones are the following: AmeriCares, CARE, the Red Cross, among many others. With that being said, it is important to keep talking about what happened as the population went through what nobody ever should, and also, because natural disasters of this level should not be occurring this time of year, nor should they occur at all. It is time to speak up about climate change and global warming and take action, because our lives truly depend on it.