Storm aftermath
Jan. 8th, 2008 10:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altivoThe library is fairly quiet this morning, but that's not unusual since it's raining fairly hard outside.
Some streets are closed, mostly because the village of Lawrence is still under evacuation orders due to the freight train that derailed in the tornado yesterday. Apparently there is a dangerous chemical spill or a serious risk of one. Lawrence shares a border with Harvard and is only about two miles from here. Police say they may not clear the area for people to go home until as late as Thursday. There are Red Cross vehicles flying flags and hurrying up and down the US highway through town.
Storm damage to buildings and trees seems to be fairly light here, but that's not unusual for tornadoes. They can have a very narrow path. Just over the county line in Poplar Grove, damage was much more severe but still no injuries are reported fortunately. Many trees are down and several buildings, including some historic ones, were flattened. A large and popular apple orchard lost its barn and the owners' home, but the apple trees survived.
The funnels drifted northeast into Wisconsin from here, and apparently did much more serious damage in Kenosha County before going off into Lake Michigan.
Coverage in the county newspaper is online here, including photos and video for the curious. The library's location on the map provided there is just south of the "Site of overturned semi-truck," about one mile north and east of the intersection of routes 14 and 173.
At home, 15 miles south between Union and Marengo, we had only rain. The winds weren't even very heavy, because strong winds always bring down oak branches and there are none down on our property.
Some streets are closed, mostly because the village of Lawrence is still under evacuation orders due to the freight train that derailed in the tornado yesterday. Apparently there is a dangerous chemical spill or a serious risk of one. Lawrence shares a border with Harvard and is only about two miles from here. Police say they may not clear the area for people to go home until as late as Thursday. There are Red Cross vehicles flying flags and hurrying up and down the US highway through town.
Storm damage to buildings and trees seems to be fairly light here, but that's not unusual for tornadoes. They can have a very narrow path. Just over the county line in Poplar Grove, damage was much more severe but still no injuries are reported fortunately. Many trees are down and several buildings, including some historic ones, were flattened. A large and popular apple orchard lost its barn and the owners' home, but the apple trees survived.
The funnels drifted northeast into Wisconsin from here, and apparently did much more serious damage in Kenosha County before going off into Lake Michigan.
Coverage in the county newspaper is online here, including photos and video for the curious. The library's location on the map provided there is just south of the "Site of overturned semi-truck," about one mile north and east of the intersection of routes 14 and 173.
At home, 15 miles south between Union and Marengo, we had only rain. The winds weren't even very heavy, because strong winds always bring down oak branches and there are none down on our property.
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no subject
Date: 2008-01-08 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-08 06:14 pm (UTC)The jerk at CNN apparently called several libraries in this area asking for reports and photos even while the storm was on the ground.
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Date: 2008-01-08 08:01 pm (UTC)I am glad you guys are ok. We got hit hard, too, and tornado warnings, flood warnings and major thunderstorms in early January?!?!?! Thank good our house is on a hill.
When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro. - Hunter S Thompson
Grin.
Imperator
no subject
Date: 2008-01-08 08:09 pm (UTC)We had no problems at home at all, but the damage reports from Poplar Grove are still coming in. Lots of buildings down or so badly damaged they will be torn down. Apparently a barn full of horses too. One died, the rest are running loose all over the township this morning. Not close enough for us to do anything to help but stay out of the way.
Still haven't seen photos of the train wreck, but one car had hydraulic fluid and another had ethylene oxide, both were tipped over and leaking. The town of Lawrence has a population of about 500 and virtually all are still evacuated this morning.
The trucker says his semi was picked up by the trailer and thrown on its side across the road. I guess it was empty and so fairly light at the time. He wasn't hurt.
Worst damage was up in Wisconsin. Lots of homes destroyed sounds like.
This isn't supposed to happen in January.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-08 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-08 09:48 pm (UTC)Though I'm upset about a story that a barn full of horses over in Boone County was hit. One horse died, the others escaped and are running loose all over a township until they can be caught and returned home.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-18 01:53 pm (UTC)Stay safe Mr Hoss.
no subject
Date: 2008-01-18 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-01-18 10:59 pm (UTC)