We just got back a couple of hours ago from our next door town. A tornado rated as a F4 (F5 is the worst) hit the community around 4 Sunday afternoon. There has been 4 confirmed deaths, but I don't think they know for sure how many may actually be dead. The search and rescue dogs came in around 10 in the evening. There is about a 5 block wide swath running through the south end of town, where everything is GONE! Houses are completely leveled, trees are stripped completely bare of leaves and branches. It destroyed the new Fire Station and the High School.

Our Fire Department got called out to assist in the search opertions. I have NEVER seen such destruction in my whole life!

Please keep the Parkersburg community in your thoughts and prayers!

Jami

Jami,
I saw some pictures on the news showing the destruction. What a heart breaking time. My heart goes out the families. They will be in my prayers.
Rebecca P

Oh jami of course that whole community will be in my prayers, thank you for letting us know.
Jacqui

I just chanced to turn on the weather station as the live videos were showing the tornado touch down. I was hoping we wouldn't have anyone who would be affected. I am so sorry that you and your neighbors are having to face this.

We spent all day, Memorial Day up in Parkersburg with the Fire Department helping with clean-up efforts.

They changed the tornado to an EF5, which is the worst there is. There are 5 confirmed deaths in Parkersburg, 7 total for this particular tornado.

We were with a friend yesterday when she saw her home for the first time...actually what was left of her home. We helped find her some decent shoes and a few momentos that she was worried about. All we could do was just hug her...so sad! The destruction is just unbelievable! It looks like a bomb went off in that community.

Please continue to keep these people in your thoughts and prayers.

Jami

I had a friend send me this link to pictures of the tornado. It was on the ground for a total of about 45 miles. There are pictures of the 3 towns, Parkersburg, Sinclair and New Hartford. Parkersburg and New Hartford are about 10 or 12 miles apart.

TORNADO PICTURES PARKERSBURG, IOWA
http://picasaweb.google.com/generaldcmills/ParkersburgT...s5204893272879008178


Jami

I saw a story on ABC world news tonight about photographs, letters, bank statements, documents from Parkersburg being found in Wisconsin, over 100 miles away. Folks who are finding debris are turning it into the sheriff so it can be returned to Parkersburg.