World Report: November 22, 2002 Vol. 8 No. 10
- This Issue:
- Table of Contents
- Cover Story
- Cover Story - Spanish Version
- Mini-Lesson
- Comprehension Quiz
- Teacher's Guide and Worksheets
Twisters Hit by the Dozens
On November 10, Tabatha Henry's family was almost swept away by a tornado. First, the house where they were hiding started to peel apart. "It was deafening," says Tabatha, 17. "You could hear the wood pop." Then the wind sucked her little brother off the ground.
Tabatha's mother caught his foot, and the family held onto her for dear life. Amazingly, the family survived. But the storm smashed half the homes in their small town of Mossy Grove, Tennessee.
That same weekend, at least 88 tornadoes struck 12 states. Thirty-four people died, and more than 200 were hurt. The storms tore apart a movie theater in Ohio and an Alabama school. It was the most destructive set of November tornadoes in 10 years.
Most twisters touch down between April and June. Even then, big clusters of storms are unusual. But every once in a while, winds, air temperature and humidity combine to unleash a pack of severe tornadoes. That's what happened on November 10.
Last week, President Bush declared parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee disaster areas. The states will receive money to rebuild. On Wednesday, Joe Allbaugh, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, visited Mossy Grove, where folks were picking up the pieces. Said Allbaugh: "You are all brave souls."
