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Jessie Sexton, a volunteer, helps rummage through the remains of a home after a tornado in Henryville, Ind., on Sunday. (AP Photo/Lincoln Journal Star, Brynn Anderson)

Baby found in field after tornadoes dies

Rebecca Yonker, Tom Liabanco The Associated Press

Last updated Sunday, March 4, 2012 - 10:35pm

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — An Indiana toddler found in a field after violent tornadoes died Sunday after being taken off life support, ending a hopeful tale for survivors in the Midwest and South picking through the storms’ devastation.

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Stories of survival emerge from tornado victims

Bruce Schreiner, Jim Suhr The Associated Press

Last updated Sunday, March 4, 2012 - 10:14am

EAST BERNSTADT, Ky. -- The stories from tornado survivors across the South and Midwest were remarkable: schoolchildren took cover under desks, people hunkered down in a church basement or hid out in a bank vault. One family even piled on top of one another for protection.

One of the most remarkable survivors was a toddler found alone in a field near her Indiana home. Her four immediate family members were among at least 36 people killed by tornadoes that scarred communities scattered across hundreds of miles of the nation's midsection from Alabama to Indiana.

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(AP Photo/David Kohl) Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, right, and Washington Township fire chief Dana Kellenberger, left, look over damage in the village of Moscow, Ohio, Saturday, March 3, 2012. Massive thunderstorms, predicted by forecasters for days, threw off dozens of tornadoes as they raced Friday from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. Twisters crushed blocks of homes, knocked out cellphones and landlines, ripped power lines from broken poles and tossed cars, school buses and tractor-trailers onto roads made impassable by debris.

Storms demolish small towns in Ind., Ky.; 38 dead Storms demolish small towns in Ind., Ky.; 38 dead

Jim Suhr, Roger Alford The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, March 3, 2012 - 4:47pm

WEST LIBERTY, Ky. — Rescue workers with search dogs trudged through the hills of Kentucky, and emergency crews in several states combed through wrecked homes in a desperate search Saturday for survivors of tornadoes that killed dozens of people.

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Violent Midwest storms kill 31, death toll could rise

Jim Suhr, Ken Kusmer The Associated Press

Last updated Saturday, March 3, 2012 - 8:13am

HENRYVILLE, Ind. -- A string of violent storms scratched away small towns in Indiana and cut off rural communities in Kentucky as an early-season tornado outbreak killed more than 30 people, and the death toll rose as daylight broke on Saturday's search for survivors.

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Tornado deposits checkbook 65 miles away

Jesse Rininger Evansville Courier

Last updated Friday, March 2, 2012 - 4:06pm

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- A tornado that struck Harrisburg, Ill., Wednesday carried off a checkbook and deposited it 65 miles away in a parking lot here.

An instructor at Holy Redeemer Catholic School found the mangled, waterlogged checkbook in the school parking lot that morning and turned it in

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People look at a truck that was blown off the road by debris from a reported tornado that passed through the Harvest, Ala., area Friday, March 2, 2012. (AP Photo/The Huntsville Times, Bob Gathany)

Tornadoes hit Alabama

Michael Muskal, Richard Fausset Los Angeles Times

Last updated Friday, March 2, 2012 - 3:13pm

Apparent tornadoes destroyed homes, damaged a prison and injured about 10 people in Alabama on Friday as the South and Midwest braced for what was expected to be a full day of severe weather.

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'Disaster junkies' help communities rebuild

Jay Reeves The Associated Press

Last updated Friday, March 2, 2012 - 7:35am

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Taking a break from laying sod in a tornado-torn neighborhood, volunteer David Elliott cocked his head to the left. He was trying to remember all the trips he's made to help rebuild after disasters.

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Tales of devastation from the tornado front

Richard Gootee Evansville Courier

Last updated Thursday, March 1, 2012 - 4:02pm

HARRISBURG, Ill. -- Mayor Eric Gregg said he knew something was wrong when he stepped outside his home here Wednesday and although tornado warning sirens were blaring across the city it felt "eerily quiet."

"I had a feeling something was dreadfully wrong," he said. "Unfortunately those feelings came to pass, and we have devastation in our community like we have never seen."

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Tim Thress, left, of Branson, and Wake Williams of Omaha, Ark., help carry merchandise out of a friend's storm-damaged store in Branson, Mo., Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012. Powerful storms that produced reports of multiple tornadoes and killed at least nine people elsewhere in the Midwest tore through the music resort town early this morning, injuring more than three dozen people. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Tourist destination Branson surveys damage

Laura Bauer, Lee Hill Kavanaugh Kansas City Star

Last updated Thursday, March 1, 2012 - 12:53pm

BRANSON, Mo. -- Trashed by a tornado that cruised its strip and blew the roofs of its hotels before moving on, this music Mecca is surveying what needs fixing before visitors arrive in two weeks.

While most of the shows will go on, the tourist area suffered damage amounting to many millions of dollars to theaters, strip malls, marinas, go-cart tracks, apartments and bass boats.

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Broken branches and household debris are scattered across a lawn early Wednesday morning, Feb. 29, 2012 in Harveyville, Kan., after an apparent tornado passed through the town Tuesday night. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback declared a state of emergency late Tuesday after a powerful storm system pounded the state's midsection. (AP Photo/Emporia Gazette, Matthew Fowler)

13 killed as tornadoes hit the Midwest

Jim Salter The Associated Press

Last updated Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - 11:32am

BRANSON, Mo. — A powerful storm system that produced multiple reports of tornadoes lashed the Midwest early Wednesday, roughing up the country music resort city of Branson and laying waste to small towns in Illinois and Kansas. At least 13 people were killed.

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Residents comb through debris looking for personal belongings after a severe storm and possible tornado ripped through the Georgebrook subdivision area in Trussville, Ala. in the early hours of Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Possible tornado hits Ala.; 2 killed

Jay Reeves The Associated Press

Last updated Monday, January 23, 2012 - 3:49pm

CLAY, Ala. — Violent weather including possible tornadoes roared across the heart of Alabama on Monday, killing two people and injuring more than 100 others. Searchers went door-to-door calling out to residents, some of whom lived along a path near the deadly twisters that devastated the area last year.

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A mobil home is destroyed Thursday, Nov. 17, 2011 at the AAA Mobil Home Park in Thomasville, N.C. Suspected tornadoes were reported Wednesday in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and South Carolina. Dozens of homes and buildings were damaged and thousands of people were without power as trees and power lines were downed. (AP Photo/The Enterprise, Sonny Hedgecock)

4 dead, dozens hurt as storms pound the Southeast

Bob Johnson, Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, November 17, 2011 - 10:20am

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- A strong storm system that produced several possible tornadoes hit the Southeast on Wednesday, damaging dozens of homes and buildings. At least four people were killed and dozens more were injured.

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Joplin High School wide receiver Dayton Whitehead (5) celebrates his touchdown reception with Abe Hueller (46) during the first half of a high school football game against Hillcrest in Joplin, Mo., Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011. The tornado that swept through in May of 2011 took homes and businesses, friends and families as it killed more than 150 people and left billions of dollars in damage. There's comfort in routine and the Joplin High football team will give thousands of them a chance for another step toward normalcy on Saturday night when the Eagles play a home opener like none other around here. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

In tornado aftermath, football helps heal Joplin

Dave Skretta The Associated Press

Last updated Sunday, September 11, 2011 - 6:55pm

JOPLIN, Mo. — There’s a scar through the middle of Joplin, a mile wide and six miles long. All that’s left are a few twisted tree stumps, chunks of chewed up pavement and the tattered remains of homes and businesses.

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Lee's remnants cause twisters, flooding in South

Dorie Turner, Holbrook Mohr The Associated Press

Last updated Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - 7:29am

ATLANTA — The destructive remnants of Tropical Storm Lee rolled north Tuesday after spawning tornadoes, sweeping several people away, flooding roads and knocking out power to thousands across the South. More rain was expected in parts of Tennessee, where records have already been broken.

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Part of Barn 23 used by trainer Steve Margolis is severley damaged Thursday, June 23, 2011 by the possible tornado that struck Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Wednesday night. Margolis said Thursday that no horses were injured despite the roof collapse. The National Weather Service sent teams out Thursday to determine whether the funnel cloud reported in the area was the cause of the damage.(AP Photo/Garry Jones)

Tornadoes smash Kentucky

The Associated Press The Associated Press

Last updated Thursday, June 23, 2011 - 6:23pm

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A few barns partially collapsed and horses were running loose Wednesday at Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, after a powerful storm that spawned tornadoes blew through Louisville.

Officials have no immediate reports of serious injuries to humans or horses at the track on the southwestern side of Louisville. A mayor's spokesman said a couple people may have been trapped in their cars in high water on the east side of the city.

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