Smashed Midwest Faces 2nd Round of Tornadoes

And more fatalities expected as gas leaks cause fires, more weather looms

(AP) - Rescue crews dug through piles of splintered houses and crushed cars today in a search for victims of a half-mile-wide tornado that blasted much of this Missouri town off the map and slammed straight into its hospital. At least 116 people died, making it the nation's deadliest single tornado in nearly 60 years and the second major tornado disaster in a month. An unknown number of people were hurt. More»

For one thing, don't open the windows

(NEWSER) - The tornadoes that have rampaged through the South and Midwest this year didn't need to be as devastating as they were: NPR talks to experts and finds that an ounce of prevention can make the difference between life and death, even when 200mph-winds are involved. Some things you can do:

• Have a plan: The truly prepared in tornado-prone areas have steel- or concrete-walled tornado shelters to protect from things like two-by-fours that become missiles as a tornado shreds a house. Even if you're not going to install a shelter, at least plan your course of action before the winds start howling.

People scream, cry as they frantically scramble to shelter

(NEWSER) - NPR points to a terrifying first-person video of the tornado that slammed Joplin last night, killing at least 89 . Though you can’t see much in the recording, the chilling audio gives a good idea of what happened when the tornado hit a convenience store. Customers worry and comfort each other, then begin screaming and crying as the tornado causes the glass to break. In the ensuing scramble to the walk-in storage refrigerator, you can hear people praying and saying “I love you.” Warning: Footage is disturbing. Click for more on last night's disaster . More»

Three fatalities linked so far to contaminated soil that got under skin

(NEWSER) - As if recovering from the devastation of last month's tornado weren't enough, Joplin is facing a new threat: A fungal infection that has been linked in the deaths of at least three people. Murcomycosis is linked to fungal spores that live in the soil, usually inhaled; in Joplin's case, the spores have gotten under victims' skin. Experts say winds likely blew affected dirt into open wounds, causing what the Los Angeles Times calls a "white, fluffy mold." More»

Liquid chemicals, asbestos, burning pollutants all threats of disaster cleanup

(AP) - As residents confront a gigantic cleanup following the tornado that savaged Joplin, environmental dangers could lurk amid the mountains of debris, and even in the water and air. But EPA teams are saying the damage could’ve been much worse—they’ve turned up no serious pollution issues in the first week, although the search is continuing, a spokesman said. Damage from tornadoes, like floods and hurricanes, often goes beyond what is readily visible; liquid fuels and chemicals can leak from ruptured containers and contaminate groundwater, ruined buildings may contain asbestos, and fires generate deadly smoke containing soot, dioxins, and other pollutants. More»