Deadly tornados leave a huge path of terror

[tecat-z]

I hope everyone who lives in the affected areas of Alabama and surrounding states made it through this event. Can't believe the videos that are surfacing. Truly amazing how the weather can completely change everything in the blink of an eye. The death tole is really climbing, as they are predicting this to be one of worst in the last 50 years. Gatta feel for these people.....

[honda250sx]

Ed, you aren't kidding. I have a very very close friend in Birmingham that I cannot get ahold of. Man I hope all is well with him.

This is pure RATH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7T7GYl0xvg

[Bustos82]

Our prayers to everyone out there.

[Chazz of Blades]

Birmingham didn't get hit anything like some of the areas around me. One guy I know bought a hhuuugggeee combine, like, one thats way to big to drive on the road.


He found it upside down, two miles away from where he parked it.

There are entire subdivisions just....gone, large cities still out of power and water, you can't buy gas anymore, if you can its extremely high, most of Tuscaloosa is gone as well, hell, most of Limestone COUNTY is gone. I've seen utter devestation, it just looks like somone dropped bombs, and you'll see national guardsmen huddling recently made homeless people.

I have an uncle who is part of HPD(Huntsville Police Department), and he has been working since the tornadoes stopped, in 4 counties.

[Chazz of Blades]

I've also saw a flimsy little chunk of plastic embedded clean through both sides of a Semi tire, and a huge 80 gallon air compressor with a 2x4 hole straight through that heavy steel.

[honda250sx]

Chazz my buddy lives in Cullman. How is it there. I know its not far from Huntsville. I still cant reach my friend.

[stroberts22]

I'm a lineman working on the storm break. We were sent to Philadephia Ms last night and this morning we were told to go to Decatur Al to repair lines to get browns ferry back running. We drove by Tusculusa, Birmingham and Cullman on the way to Decatur and the destruction was very bad.I don't think there was a gas station open all across Al. The power lines that we are working on is as bad as I ever seen. We worked 20 hrs yesterday and 16 hrs today. I feel for all the people affected by the storm.

[honda250sx]

I'm a lineman working on the storm break. We were sent to Philadephia Ms last night and this morning we were told to go to Decatur Al to repair lines to get browns ferry back running. We drove by Tusculusa, Birmingham and Cullman on the way to Decatur and the destruction was very bad.I don't think there was a gas station open all across Al. The power lines that we are working on is as bad as I ever seen. We worked 20 hrs yesterday and 16 hrs today. I feel for all the people affected by the storm.

ST thanks for everything you do. Its a workforce like yours that keeps America going. Also thanks for the update on Cullman. I have since spoken to my friend who lives in Cullman and he and the family are fine. Homestead is standing. He drove 2.5 hours to get fuel and water. He said its like an Atom Bomb was dropped in Tuscaloosa.

[hang&rattle]

I'm upset about this. 3 Weeks ago on blogs the gov't had the projected storm front analyzed. If any other country had a natural disaster projected the U.S. would have sent 10,000 troops and wrote a billion dollar check. Heck, just this week the gov't wrote a couple billion dollar checks for Libya, to Muslim terrorists!, and now are lackadaisical about assisting our own people, sickens me, I'm mad. I feel helpless I have no $, and am unable to drive down to do anything I can to help. This is what it's going to resemble when we become a 3rd world country? It's scary to see. I hope all that can, are helping eachother, because that's all we got. I feel helpless, nothing I can do.

[tri again]

I'm just sure it was/is 1,000 times worse than the
pictures or what we can even imagine.

Now that it's 'over', is just the beginning.

I mean, how can anyone even find their tools to start fixin' stuff?
Drinking water?
Hot? water to wash with?
I think I'd look for a woodstove and just build a camp around it but
I'm guessing even woodstoves got flying lessons.

My heart goes out to all.
and like h&r said, talk about feeling helpless!!!!!

[Chazz of Blades]

Here in lauderdale county we didn't have nearly the damage, there are gas stations open and power. But there are refugees swarming.

there are entire cities still out of power, hundreds dead, and thousands missing, entire towns obliterated, mass refugees, the president is in Tuscaloosa today, no power in huge cities,Limestone county almost gone, a state of emergency has been called, rescue teams from country wide are making their way, the national guard has been called in, and nuclear plants have been effected, Brown's Ferry has had 3 generators destroyed causing county wide blackouts.

I was extremely lucky not to have suffered much damage in my area, and still have power, even the small little village/towns around here are swarming with people looking for gas, food, and places to stay.

The damage here makes katrina's effects look like childsplay.

It's been theorized that some areas may be out of power for up to a month. HHUUUGGEEE amounts of flooding as well.

One man about 20 minutes from me had bought one of those HUGE combine harvesters, one of those that are so huge you can't fit one on a road.

He found it upside down, in pieces, two miles away from home.

Gas prices(when you can find it) are skyrocketing, even in areas that weren't effected, so have food prices.

I have friends who are MIAPD, and those who have lost everything, and aren't allowed to dig through their home remains due to authorities still looking for bodies.

I don't know what we are going to do though, with prices of everything rising, and refugees piling in everywhere, pretty soon it'll be hard to live anywhere in the state, damage or not.

[tri again]

Here in lauderdale county we didn't have nearly the damage, there are gas stations open and power. But there are refugees swarming.

there are entire cities still out of power, hundreds dead, and thousands missing, entire towns obliterated, mass refugees, the president is in Tuscaloosa today, no power in huge cities,Limestone county almost gone, a state of emergency has been called, rescue teams from country wide are making their way, the national guard has been called in, and nuclear plants have been effected, Brown's Ferry has had 3 generators destroyed causing county wide blackouts.

I was extremely lucky not to have suffered much damage in my area, and still have power, even the small little village/towns around here are swarming with people looking for gas, food, and places to stay.

The damage here makes katrina's effects look like childsplay.

It's been theorized that some areas may be out of power for up to a month. HHUUUGGEEE amounts of flooding as well.

One man about 20 minutes from me had bought one of those HUGE combine harvesters, one of those that are so huge you can't fit one on a road.

He found it upside down, in pieces, two miles away from home.

Gas prices(when you can find it) are skyrocketing, even in areas that weren't effected, so have food prices.

I have friends who are MIAPD, and those who have lost everything, and aren't allowed to dig through their home remains due to authorities still looking for bodies.

I don't know what we are going to do though, with prices of everything rising, and refugees piling in everywhere, pretty soon it'll be hard to live anywhere in the state, damage or not.

I've been watching the news and weather channel non stop for
2 days now and there is NO real indication of what's really going on.

I mean, they're showing pix of blownout stuff but no mention
of price gouging, food and shelter shortages.
Gotta be people wandering around everywhere looking for ANY of their stuff.
and then the heat is power tripping keeping people from returning to their
homes.

I guess they don't want to start panic.

WTF? it's total chaos and the illusion of control!

NO mention of airlift food or water, portapotties or
emergency shelters.

Makes me believe that all the media..oh, ok
they just mentioned 1500 'national airmen' are being moved in
to 'help.'

prayers to all.
Any one of us can be next.

[Chazz of Blades]

They are saying the death toll in Huntsville is only 8, hell no, I know of entire 5-6 person families that have been wiped out, you're damn right they aren't telling the truth.

[Slingblade]

Just got my power restored. I'm very fortunate, no damage at my home. My son is a student a the U of AL. in Tuscaloosa and watched the tornado pass about a mile from his apt. I've included the phone pics they shot, also a link to an aerial view of the damage. It's unreal.

What you don't hear on the national news is about the small rural communities that were completely destroyed. One small town not far from me has 26 confirmed dead with some still missing. I've never seen anything like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU6hsYk_sWI