Deadly tornadoes hit Missouri; Interview with Deaf survivor
Last night a large EF3 tornado ripped through Jefferson City, Missouri with wind speeds of about 160 mph. Several people were trapped in collapsed buildings.
A Deaf man, Sean Coatney, was in an apartment building that was damaged by the tornado. He is okay, but was not able to enter his apartment building today because of the damage.
The Daily Moth reached out to him to share his experience.
Sean Coatney:
It started about 11 pm. My phone buzzed and had a notification that said, “Tornado Warning.” I was like, hmm… I was curious and went outside. I saw two men and I told them I was Deaf. I saw heavy rains.
[Video clip of heavy rains pounding an apartment front area. The camera pans right to show two individuals standing outside of their ground-level apartment]
Eventually the power went out. I saw the two men run inside their apartment, so I ran into my apartment to take shelter. I looked out the window and it was still pouring outside. My phone buzzed with an emergency notification. I went into my bathroom. My mom sent me a text to touch the tub. I said fine, sure, and when I touched it, it felt like heavy rumbling. It shook very powerfully. I was stunned. It felt like a real earthquake. I had no idea what it means but it looked like a tornado hit this area. I didn’t know. My heart was pounding. Later, the notifications stopped. I looked out the window and the rains and wind stopped. When I opened the door, there was damage everywhere.
[Video clip of a flashlight beam shining on a woman talking on a cellphone, tipetoping through debris on the grass. Images of damage to apartment building walls, debris scattered everywhere, a bent light pole, and a car with a busted rear glass window]
I live in the west area. The tornado went northwest. I was fortunate that it missed us. My apartment is safe but I’ve seen others severely damaged compared with mine.
[Image of a bird’s eye view of Sean Coatney’s apartment]
My car was slightly damaged in the rear. It is blocked by a fallen tree, which means I can’t use my car. I saw a lot of rocks and fallen trees. I’m now staying at my mother’s apartment.
[Video clip during the daytime, showing debris scattered on an apartment lawn.]
Coatney: This is my apartment.
[Video clip that shows a middle-aged woman and then a corner first-floor apartment unit with a brick exterior. Another clip that shows a wide view of debris and damage in an apartment complex.]
Coatney: My apartment’s interior is all intact, but I noticed two things.
This is broken.
This is also broken.
It’s a setback that they are broken, and I have to wait for them to order replacements. But my apartment’s interior was saved. But for the others… Ooh.
[Images of damaged apartment buildings and debris on the streets. An image of a helicopter flying overhead]
Alex: Thank you, Coatney for sharing. That is a very scary experience, and we are glad you are okay.
AccuWeather reported that there was another tornado that hit Golden City, Missouri that killed three people. Two of them were an elderly couple, a 86-year old man and his 83-year-old wife. Their bodies were found 200 yards from their home. The third person was a 56-year-old woman who died when her mobile home was destroyed. Her husband was seriously injured.
Since Monday, there were almost 100 tornado reports across Missouri and the surrounding states. A total of 7 people died, including the three I just mentioned.
The others are:
A young married couple, a 24-year-old woman and her 23-year-old husband died in Missouri in a car accident during heavy rains.
One 53-year-old woman died in Oklahoma by drowning after she drove her car around a barricade and into a flooded roadway.
A 78-year-old woman died in Iowa after severe storms hit her farm. Her husband was severely injured and airlifted to the hospital.
Those are the seven who died.
There is still a risk of severe storms and tornadoes in the Central states.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/live-intense-thunderstorms-erupt-over-oklahoma-as-new-round-of-severe-weather-unfolds/70008345
https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2019/05/21/willard-couple-named-victims-car-crash-springfield/3759607002/
https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/woman-who-died-in-perkins-flooding-identified/article_be0fbcba-7ce9-11e9-8963-df672f112840.html
https://thecount.com/2019/05/23/betty-betty-berg-killed-storm-golden-city-mo-ken-opal-harris/