Tornado

First responders are in a race against time in the search for any survivors of a devastating tornado that ripped through Moore, Okla., while the medical examiner's office has revised the death toll from 51 to 24, including nine children.

Oklahoma medical examiner spokeswoman Amy Elliot said this morning that she believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos of the storm. The original death toll included 20 children.

Photo Credit: DVIDSHUB via Compfight cc
 
The massive tornado that devastated an area near Oklahoma City injured 237 people and the number of dead may rise beyond the current official count of 24, Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin said today.

"We don't have any firm numbers on the numbers of deaths that have been experienced," Fallin said during a news conference. "There may have been bodies that may have been taken to local funeral homes."
 
Officials said today that nine of the 24 people confirmed to have been killed in Moore, Okla., on Monday were children.
 
Seven children died at Plaza Towers Elementary School, which took a direct hit, but many more survived unhurt.

At least one person died after a series of tornadoes ripped across the Midwest Sunday, injuring dozens while leaving a path of devastation in a region that is expected to see more severe weather later today.

A 79-year-old man died near a mobile home park in Shawnee, Okla., which was reduced to rubble after one of many Midwest twisters ripped through the area, according to Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth. At least 21 others in Oklahoma were taken to local hospitals to be treated for injuries.

The Ringgold Krystal has now reopened!  

Krystal Vice-President of Development Brian Blosser said, “We wanted to build a store that is as special as Ringgold is. The new more efficient design is geared towards speed of service and customer satisfaction.”

Catoosa County, Ga., residents soon should be able to sign up to get a phone call, email or text alerting them that a tornado, flood or other calamity is on the way.

The Catoosa County Commission this week accepted $13,250 in federal and state emergency management agency grant money to fund a mass notification system.

The county, which was hit hard by the April 2011 tornadoes, plans to combine that with $21,500 from the Salvation Army and up to $6,000 in county money to fund the mass notification system for two years.

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for the following counties until 4PM.

Catoosa, Walker, Dade, Whitfield, and Murray.

For more information, click here. (The National Weather Service)

WRCB Channel 3 Eyewitness News provides answers to the question, ''What's the difference between a tornado warning, and a tornado watch?''

Ringgold High School sports booster clubs are proud to host the 2013 Corvette Raffle to benefit the RHS Athletic Department – Tornado Relief Fund. 

The RHS Athletic Department suffered great loss after the April 27, 2011 tornado, which devastated the football field, baseball field and other venues. While rebuilding has progressed rapidly, many facilities remain unfinished.  Funds are desperately needed to finalize specialty areas created to serve the specific needs of the school’s various sports teams.  Although insurance covered much of the replacement of major equipment, funding of the newly installed artificial turf was a necessary upgrade that was not fully covered by insurance reimbursement.

“Proceeds from the 2013 Corvette Raffle will allow for these facilities to get closer to completion, so that RHS students can move past the events of April 27,” said Robert Akins, RHS Athletic Director. “This Corvette Raffle is a great opportunity to support RHS Athletics while allowing folks the chance to win great prizes.”

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) of Catoosa County will hold disaster preparedness and community response training on Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Catoosa Fire Station 1 in Ringgold. 

The training is free, and pre-registration is strongly encouraged. 

Both classes are required to receive certification and become part of Catoosa County’s CERT team.

The CERT classes will help residents correctly respond to natural or man-made disasters such as tornados, hurricanes or chemical spills. 

Janice and Warren Oliver always had been close to Janice's brother Donald Christian and his wife, Dorothy.

Donald loved to visit his sister and brother-in-law in Tennessee, and after some encouragement, he and Dorothy moved to Apison about 20 years ago.

"I'm almost sorry I asked him to move down here, but you never know how things are going to turn out," Warren Oliver said.

Donald and Dorothy Christian were killed in the tornadoes of April 27, 2011.

Ringgold City Council kicked off the new year with its first meeting Monday night, Jan. 9, by welcoming new council members, appointing a new vice mayor, and approving a proposed memorial to commemorate the April 27 tornado that altered the city forever while claiming eight lives. With newly elected council members Earl Henderson and Nick Millwood assuming their seats on the council for the first time, an additional change occurred when council member G. Larry Black nominated fellow council member Randall Franks to serve as the new vice mayor for the next two years.