Deadly storms

Missourians grieve today at the death of at least 15 people in our state from tornadoes over the weekend. The total with Oklahoma and Georgia is close to two dozen dead and scores injured.

Consider the tornado that struck near Seneca, Mo., in Newton County (possibly the same one what hit Picher, Okla.). Officials say it was 300 yards wide. In the 15 minutes it was on the ground, it went 12 miles, damaging or destroying 50 homes. It killed at least 13 people. Not far away, in Neosho, Mo., whole neighborhoods were leveled.

Such devastation serves to remind us of the need to be thankful that although the recent storms here took out trees, damaged homes and made a mess across much of Independence, there were no injuires or deaths.

The people who swing into action with a blanket, a place to sleep and a word of comfort are already hard at work. People still in shock and pain are starting to put things back together. Cities and towns will rebuild. This has been a particularly bad year so far for severe weather – and it’s only mid-May.