lew Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Just watching the news coverage of the tornado and it's hard to imagine what those poor folks were going through while that monster was tearing everything apart. You can prepare for an approaching hurricane but not much you can do with only a few minutes warning of those massive tornadoes about to hit you. Really sad news !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Indeed, a terrible tragedy. Thoughts are with the victims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outllaw Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 i had to change the channel last nite. i truly feel awfull for all those folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Ya Lew, I was watching it too. What struck me odd was the fact this is tornado alley and the news reporter said most homes do not have basements! I can't find the reasoning in that. I also heard there are more tornadoes on the way so I hope people down there take heed and find a safe place!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishindevil Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 yes terrible new for sure,and from all reports so far most of the dead are school children !!! thats just horrible... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Ya Lew, I was watching it too. What struck me odd was the fact this is tornado alley and the news reporter said most homes do not have basements! I can't find the reasoning in that. I also heard there are more tornadoes on the way so I hope people down there take heed and find a safe place!! The only shelter from a storm like that is to get out of its way by fleeing or be fortunate enough to have an underground shelter. In that part of the U.S. it's difficult and extremely expensive to dig a basement as the earth is like bedrock....hence the lack of basements throughout those areas. Such a tragedy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 The only shelter from a storm like that is to get out of its way by fleeing or be fortunate enough to have an underground shelter. In that part of the U.S. it's difficult and extremely expensive to dig a basement as the earth is like bedrock....hence the lack of basements throughout those areas. Such a tragedy... They don't have basements because of the moisture in the soil, it's almost all clay as well... No bedrock out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigger Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Its not a tragedy if you put yourself in harms way. The Oklahoma bombing? Tragedy. Living in a state where this kind of thing occurs regularily? Inevitable. This is like moving to the base of a volcano or on top of a major fault line. Sorry for those that lost their lives and those that need to rebuild now. But if I had someone tell me thats where they were moving, id tell them they were stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillM Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Its not a tragedy if you put yourself in harms way. The Oklahoma bombing? Tragedy. Living in a state where this kind of thing occurs regularily? Inevitable. This is like moving to the base of a volcano or on top of a major fault line. Sorry for those that lost their lives and those that need to rebuild now. But if I had someone tell me thats where they were moving, id tell them they were stupid. Yeah you're right man, those kids that died in that school..... definitely not a tragedy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 They don't have basements because of the moisture in the soil, it's almost all clay as well... No bedrock out there... Interesting...heard on Wx Channel it was due to the area being mostly 'rock' and that it's almost impossible to "get through". The area I live in is mostly clay and every home has a basement. Though I do agree with you on the water table being high can preclude a basement...like Florida or coastal areas. Either way, I'm sure there will be a spirited investigation into how those living in tornado alley can build/afford a purpose-built storm shelter below ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigger Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 I may sound a little calloused here, i realize that. But if you live in a place called Tornado Alley, youre asking for it. Tell me whats so important to Oklahoma that people still live there? They are a manufacturing State. Whatever gets made there can be made elsewhere. Move or you and your children are at risk. Thats a cold fact and one that people ignore. Just because i write that, doesnt mean I dont feel for their loss. Just means that it was avoidable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayzak15 Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 I may sound a little calloused here, i realize that. But if you live in a place called Tornado Alley, youre asking for it. Tell me whats so important to Oklahoma that people still live there? They are a manufacturing State. Whatever gets made there can be made elsewhere. Move or you and your children are at risk. Thats a cold fact and one that people ignore. Just because i write that, doesnt mean I dont feel for their loss. Just means that it was avoidable. Better move off the east coast too because hurricanes happen there, or move out of Canada because we get blizzards and extreme cold weather than can be deadly too, or leave Japan because earthquakes happen. No matter where you live there will always be bad weather, you just got to do your best to prepare for when it does come. I was in Kansas when this happened yesterday and I'm glad as hell these didn't hit where I was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdox Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 They don't have basements because of the moisture in the soil, it's almost all clay as well... No bedrock out there...Actually, T-Bone is correct. Lots of bedrock close to the surface in Oklahoma. Couple that with loose soil and lots of rain, and you get lots of moisture in the ground and the resulting mold problems. Couple those with the fact that in the South their building codes don't require them to dig as deep for foundations/footings to get down below the frost line, where as in the North we only have to dig a couple more feet get deep enough for a basement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Okay, well thanks for the clarification on the basements, I was wondering why they didn't have them in a tornado area!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bone Posted May 21, 2013 Report Share Posted May 21, 2013 Actually, T-Bone is correct. Lots of bedrock close to the surface in Oklahoma. Couple that with loose soil and lots of rain, and you get lots of moisture in the ground and the resulting mold problems. Couple those with the fact that in the South their building codes don't require them to dig as deep for foundations/footings to get down below the frost line, where as in the North we only have to dig a couple more feet get deep enough for a basement. Well...just read this online...pulled this from The Weather Channel. And yeah, with three huge tornadoes in the past 14 years it does leave you scratching your head as to why anyone would remain in that area. But, "home" is "home"...the good and the bad. In a region that sees more than its share of tornadoes, it also prompts a question: Why aren't more homes here built with basements? After all, Oklahoma City and its surrounding communities are part of the Plains region known as "Tornado Alley" for the frequency with which twisters strike here. It's a question that's being asked in the wake of yesterday's tornado, as well as back in May 2011, when an outbreak of 12 tornadoes tore through central Oklahoma. The answer is largely due to three reasons: area building codes, the amount of water in the soil here, and the generally high level of the water table, according to reporting done back in 2011 by MSNBC. As one commenter described it on the Prepared Society message boards, Oklahoma is a land of "clay soil and high water table." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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