2008 Twister Deaths Highest in a Decade

But first woman on the list still alive

(NEWSER) - Joplin officials have released a list of 232 people still unaccounted for in the wake of the deadliest tornado ever recorded in the US. Search and rescue teams haven’t found any new survivors of the disaster since Tuesday, but Joplin officials tell the AP that they don’t think everyone on the list is dead—they suspect many have simply been cut off from communicating with their families because of still-spotty cell phone reception. More»

(AP) - A tornado that swept through the mountain community of Mena, Ark., killed three people and injured at least 30 others, authorities said today after a house-to-house search. The twister descended quickly on Mena shortly after 8 last night after a series of siren blasts warned residents of tornadoes in the area. "It just looks like a war zone," said the mayor. More»

Rest of the South fears it could be next

(NEWSER) - What appeared to be a series of tornadoes tore through northern Alabama today, destroying several homes, sending several to the hospital, and ripping the roof off a maximum-security state prison, the AP reports. A portion of the prison's fence was also knocked down, but the Alabama Department of Corrections says the facility is still secure, and that no inmates have escaped. 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»

Powerful pair of tornadoes rip through Central Massachusetts

(AP) - Central and western Massachusetts today surveyed the widespread damage after at least two late-afternoon tornadoes shocked emergency officials with their violence and caused the state's first tornado-related deaths in 16 years. Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown joined Gov. Deval Patrick on a helicopter tour of the damaged areas, including Springfield, the state's third-largest city. Kerry said it looked like a "blast zone" and was confident that federal disaster aid would be forthcoming, particularly because of damage to businesses. More»