Tornadoes, April 27, 2011 (Video)

UPDATE, APRIL 30, 2011: Twister toll at 337; 2nd-deadliest outbreak in US
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UPDATE, APRIL 29, 2011: Tornado Aftermath: Southern Storms Death Toll Rises to 312 as Obama Visits
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UPDATE, April 29, 2011: Alabama tornado death toll climbs to 210

Alabama emergency officials say the number of people killed in the state in the worst tornado outbreak in four decades has climbed to 210. It is now considered the deadliest weather event in the state in more than 70 years.

At least 36 were killed Wednesday in Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency early Friday said in a news release that nearby DeKalb County had 32 fatalities.

...Fatalities were also reported in Bibb, Calhoun, Cullman, Dekalb, Elmore, Fayette, Franklin, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, St. Clair, Tallapoosa, Tuscaloosa and Walker counties.

The new Alabama total brings the death toll in six states to at least 297.

Here are the most recent death tolls in the states hit hardest by Wednesday's storms.

Alabama: 210 dead
Mississippi: 33 dead
Tennessee: 33 dead
Georgia: 15 dead
Virginia: 5 dead
Kentucky: 1 dead

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UPDATE: Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 248

Dozens of tornadoes ripped through the South, flattening homes and businesses and killing at least 248 people in six states in the deadliest outbreak in nearly 40 years.

As day broke Thursday, people in hard-hit Alabama surveyed flattened, debris-strewn neighborhoods and told of pulling bodies from rubble after the storms passed Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Deadly Tornadoes Sweep Through the South



Raw Video: Utter Devastation in Tuscaloosa



Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox Focused on Finding Survivors


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The death and destruction left by the storms and tornadoes that slammed the South should provide some perspective on how stupid media obsessions like Donald Trump, Obama's birth certificate, and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton really are.

The death toll from the tornadoes keeps rising.

From the Associated Press:

Fierce storms obliterated large swaths of land from Mississippi to Georgia, wiping out homes and businesses, causing a nuclear power plant to use backup generators and even forcing the evacuation of a National Weather Service office.

The death toll was staggering — 83 people killed in five states, including 61 in Alabama alone, a number that was likely to increase.

One of the hardest-hit areas was Tuscaloosa, a city of more than 83,000 and home to the University of Alabama. The city's police and other emergency services were devastated, the mayor said, and at least 15 people were killed and about 100 were in a single hospital.

A massive tornado, caught on video by a news camera on a tower, barreled through the city late Wednesday afternoon, leveling it.

By nightfall, the city was dark. Roads were impassable. Signs were blown down in front of restaurants, businesses were unrecognizable and sirens wailed off and on. Debris littered the streets and sidewalks.

...Elsewhere, 11 people were killed in Mississippi, nine people were reported dead in Georgia and one person died each in Tennessee and Virginia.

The storm system spread destruction from Texas to New York, where dozens of roads were flooded or washed out.

President Barack Obama said he had spoken with Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and approved his request for emergency federal assistance, including search and rescue assets. About 1,400 National Guard soldiers were being deployed around the state.

"Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this devastation, and we commend the heroic efforts of those who have been working tirelessly to respond to this disaster," Obama said in a statement.

It's appropriate for Obama to issue a statement.

From CNN:

"While we may not know the extent of the damage for days, we will continue to monitor these severe storms across the country and stand ready to continue to help the people of Alabama and all citizens affected by these storms," Obama said in a statement.

"Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives because of the tornadoes that have swept through Alabama and the southeastern United States."

The devastation didn't keep Obama from attending three fundraisers in New York City on Wednesday night, where he was expected to rake in millions of dollars for his 2012 campaign.

Obama was hanging out with Democrat big donors and celebrities and joking about his birth certificate. Earlier in the day, Obama and Michelle flew to Chicago to tape an interview with Oprah Winfrey. He was flashing his birth certificate, using it as a prop.

What was that Obama said about not having time for "silliness"? Didn't he say we can't solve our problems if we're distracted by sideshows?

I guess Oprah isn't a sideshow in Obama's world.

While people were struggling in the aftermath of the storms, having lost their homes and businesses, suffering injuries, and grieving the loss of loved ones, Obama was yucking it up and raising money.

Bad, bad timing.

Video of Obama fundraising in New York and in Chicago with Oprah:



Attention should be directed to the victims of the storms. I pray the death toll won't go higher, but I fear it will.

Here's video of the storms, the devastation, and the survivors:

The monster tornado that ripped through Tuscaloosa, caught on video, is a terrifying sight.

Seeing it from afar, one knows that what was in its path would be obliterated.



Here's a story of survival, faith, and thankfulness:



Here are more videos, from CBS 42, Birmingham, Alabama.