KWCH - Kansas News and Weather - Greensburg Tornado

Greensburg Tornado

Recovery:

Church Service
More than a thousand people turned out for a non-denominational Mother's Day church service in Greensburg on Sunday. Tears and hugs were common as many residents saw each other for the first time since the May 4th tornado that claimed nine lives.

Ministers whose churches were destroyed along with almost all of the town's homes and businesses took turns leading prayers and assuring survivors that God is with them and will help them rebuild.

The Reverend Gene McIntosh, pastor of First United Methodist Church, told worshipers at the Sunday service, "We have been through the storm. We grieve for those who have lost their lives." But he added, "The Lord Jesus is our redeemer, and is with us."

Volunteers passed out flowers to mothers to note Mother's Day.

Debris Removal
Debris removal remains a priority for the city of Greensburg. The Kansas National Guard, Kansas Department of Transportation and contractors have hauled nearly 8,300 dump truck loads to the Kiowa County landfill.

Damaged or destroyed vehicles are being tagged and towed away at no charge to owners.

Residents with spoiled food are asked to put the food in trash bags along the curb, separate from any debris. Any food items could pose a health hazard if not disposed of in this manner.

Temporary street signs are being installed. Most of the town's signs were destroyed by the tornado.

Power Restoration
Crews continue to replace the more than 500 power poles and say they may have power restored to the command center by the end of the week.

Severe Weather Plan
Anyone in the Greensburg area will be evacuated if severe weather moves in. A National Weather Service meteorologist is on site and will provide updates regarding weather to those working in the community who will then make the determination about the need to evacuate the area.

Temporary Hospital
The Kansas National Guard's mobile hospital is up and running to provide medical services to people in Kiowa County. The mobile hospital is on Hwy 54 across from the Greensburg John Deere dealership.

The EMEDS is based out of the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka. The 190th ARW is the only organization in the country currently with an EMEDS dedicated to homeland security and will be the central location for all EMEDS logistic support throughout the United States.

Water Restoration
Water has been restored north of Florida Street but residents are remined not to drink the water until officials determine it is safe.

Donations & Help:

American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross has opened a second distribution center for Greensburg. This one is across Highway 54 from Davis Park. It will be open from 9:00am to 4:00pm daily.

Items available here include: personal clean-up kits, bottled water, paper towels, toilet paper, gloves, rakes, five-gallon pails, and bleach.

The Red Cross continues to distribute these items at another distribution center at Barclay College in Haviland. That center is open from 9:00am to 6:00pm.

For additional information you are asked to call 1-866-GET-INFO. You can also go to your local Red Cross chapter.

Mental health workers are also in Greensburg helping survivors deal with the aftermath.

United Way
The Kansas National Guard is praising the outpouring of support for the people of Greensburg. However, the Adjutant General's office is requesting only financial donations at this time.

Monetary donations for the Green for Greensburg Fund are being handled by the United Way. Donations can be sent to:

Green for Greensburg Fund
United Way of the Plains
245 N. Water
Wichita, KS 67202

You can also call (316) 267-1321.

Royals Visit
The Kansas City Royals paid a visit to Greensburg Tuesday. They helped with some of the cleanup and signed autographs for fans. They also brought $40,000 to help with cleanup efforts.

Government Assistance:

FEMA Response
The Federal Emergency Management Agencies has declared four Kansas counties disaster areas. Included in the declaration are: Kiowa, Pratt, Edwards and Stafford counties.

About 50 mobile homes arrived in Greensburg on Wednesday from Louisiana and Arkansas. They are setup in nearby Bucklin until there is enough in the way of support systems to move them to Greensburg.

Price Gouging
The Kansas Attorney General's Office is alerting people to keep an eye out for price gouging.

A spokeswoman for Paul Morrison tells Eyewitness News that they are investigating several complaints of hotels over-charging people in the wake of the Greensburg Tornado. One of those hotels is in the Salina area, the other is near Greensburg.

The AG's office says anyone who suspects a business of price gouging needs to call their office immediately. That number is 1-800-432-2310.  

Statehouse Meeting
Legislative leaders and Governor Kathleen Sebelius will return to the Statehouse later this month to deal with the tornado destruction.

They're expected to discuss allowing the State Finance Council to exceed its ten-million dollar disaster relief limit. The Council has the authority to appropriate money and make other financial decisions when the legislature isn't in session.

The Council includes the Governor and House and Senate leadership. The meeting will take place May 22nd.

Pets & Animals:

Tuesday was the last day residents could pick up their lost animals in Greensburg. About a hundred dogs and cats are now being housed at the Pratt County Humane Society. 

Those animals will be housed in an empty veterinary clinic in Pratt until the group can bring in a new building. For more information contact:

Pratt County Humane Society
1402 West 1st St.
Pratt, KS 67124

You can also call (620) 672-6777.

The move is being paid for by one of the victims of the Greensburg tornado.

Greensburg residents can get free dog and cat food by calling (620) 723-2897.  Inquiries regarding livestock or other companion animals can be made by calling the same number.

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The Destruction:

Homes
Greensburg: 1,700
Destroyed: 961
Major Damage: 105
Minor Damage: 67
Affected: 11 (broken windows, shingles & gutters)

Businesses
Major Damage: 110
Minor Damage: 24

Transportation
Hwy 54: parts still closed

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Presidential Visit:

President Bush spent much of Wednesday, May 9th in Kansas. He toured the destruction in Greensburg aboard Marine One then toured the town by foot. He also spent time talking with residents who lost everything.

Before leaving, the president offered his condolences to those who lost everything and said his mission was to bring hope to the people of Greensburg.

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Death Toll:

The death toll from the Greensburg tornado stands at 12. Nine people died in Greensburg, another in Pratt County and one in Macksville over in Stafford County.

Police have now identified all of the victims from the tornado. Here are their names:

Greensburg
79-year-old Claude Hopkins
51-year-old Larry Hoskins
48-year-old David Lyon
77-year-old Colleen Panzer
57-year-old Ron Rediger
75-year-old Evelyn Kelly
71-year-old Sarah Thackett
52-year-old Beverly Volz
62-year-old Richard Fry
77-year-old Harold Schmidt

Pratt County
84-year-old Alexander Giles

Stafford County
46-year-old Tim Buckman

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Helping Out:

There are many ways you can help the victims of the Greensburg tornado. 

If you want to volunteer to help with the cleanup efforts call 1-888-413-4327 or 211 to coordinate with the United Way. 

American Red Cross
Contributions may be sent to:

Midway-Kansas Chapter
American Red Cross
PO Box 3726
Wichita KS 67201

-or-

American Red Cross
PO Box 37243
Washington, D.C. 20013

Web site: www.redcross.org

To donate call 1-800-RED CROSS (en Espanol, 1-800-257-7575)

Goodwill $1 Sale
Goodwill is planning to do a $1 sale at all of its stores throughout western Kansas and a Parking lot sale at 3636 N. Oliver on Saturday, May 26th. Half of all proceeds will be donated to the Greensburg Tornado Fund.

Goodwill Industries Easter Seals of Kansas
Goodwill Industries Easter Seals of Kansas is making clothing and household item vouchers available to those affected by the tornado. Vouchers are available through the Red Cross or at any Goodwill store in Hays, Hutchinson, Great Bend, Salina, Junction City, Arkansas City, Garden City, El Dorado, Wichita, Maize, and Andover. 

Donations will be accepted at all of our stores. However, because of the time it takes to sort and shelve these items, victims will have access to already sorted items in the Goodwill stores.  As the new donations are sorted, they will be added to the store racks.

Salvation Army
To donate call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

United Way
United Way of the Plains announced that it has set up a Greensburg Disaster Fund to serve as a central collection point for anyone wishing to make a monetary contribution to help tornado victims in the Greensburg, Kansas area.

A disaster such as this requires the services of many organizations. United Way is setting up this fund to provide a vehicle for that help.

Monetary donations for the Green for Greensburg Fund are being handled by the United Way. Donations can be sent to:

Green for Greensburg Fund
United Way of the Plains
245 N. Water
Wichita, KS 67202

You can also call (316) 267-1321.

Metro Builders Supply
Company is organizing a work-relief effort this Wednesday in Greensburg.  They are coordinating the effort with the Red Cross and relief efforts in Greensburg.

They will take any kind of manpower and they are especially looking for contractors who can bring heavy equipment, such as bob cats and front loaders.

E-mail NGonzales@metrobuilderssupply.com or call (316) 941-4040 for details

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Looters:

Nine people have been charged with looting or trespassing in the tornado-ravaged area. Authorities say, the looters were pretending to help. 

The suspects include Four Fort Riley soldiers and a reserve police officer.  They're accused of stealing cigarettes and alcohol from the damaged Dillons store in Greensburg. The soldiers were not assigned to help in the town, but police let them in because they were in uniform.

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The Tornado:

The National Weather Service says the tornado that hit Greensburg was an EF-5 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. A spokesman for the NWS office out of Dodge City estimates winds were near 205 miles-per-hour. The tornado was about a mile and a half wide.

This is the first EF-5 and the first F-5 under the previous scale since the tornado that hit Moore, OK in May of 1999. That same storm system spawned the Haysville tornado.