1970 Twister

 

 

 

Who remembers the April 18, 1970, twister that hit Plainview? The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram states that it did 82.5 million dollars in damage. 

I watched the Moore, Oklahoma, television special on their horrific twister, while in Helotes, Texas, this past weekend, at the NBTA State competition, and cried like a baby. 

Tornado season is upon us, and we are so blessed to have weather radar and warnings to help save lives, but it doesn't always happen that way.

Do we still do tornado drills in our schools? Every district should watch the Moore, Oklahoma, documentary and learn from it. If you missed it, then try and find it and learn from it and be prepared.

If a twister hits Plainview, you have no warning system if you are not signed up for the City of Plainview Alert System. There are no sirens. 

Be prepared!

 

Comments

[John SoRelle]

he April 17 tornado reported above was apparently one of several that night. (http://bangladeshtornadoes.org/UScases/041770/041770pth.gif)
It was the only one of concern to me at the time, because the longest continuous path began in front of our farmhouse and went for 90 miles as I remember. Of course, on the farm there was no warning. When a tornado bears down directly on you there is likely only a sound like a jet airplane winding up, then bam, according to my Dad's comments after the tornado. The damage I am sure was at least as much as stated since some things don't get counted. The greatest thing to know is that after the tornado hundreds of people unaffected by the tornado showed up, hundreds of them, at each place of devastation to help clean up and restore what they could. Truly "Love thy Neighbor" in action.
After the tornado my Mom was in the hospital for 8 weeks. That night my Dad spent a few hours having glass, etc. plucked from his back. He jumped over my Mom as the windows came crashing in.
I was with Val of course, oblivious to the storm outside. Dr James, Val's Dad, was listening to the radio and without telling me about the tornado said I should stay till I could get a hold of my parents. The phones had gone out, but that wasn't unusual back then. Next thing I knew, Dr James informed me about the tornado and a very surreal experience began. At the hospital we couldn't see Mom yet, so we waited for Dad and got him to a cousin's house to spend the night. Then Val and I went to see the home place. It looked like a bombs had gone off. The interior wall had fallen in on my desk where I should have been doing my homework. (see there's proof that homework can be hazardous). Back for some rest and the next day when we got out there it was a truly amazing crowd of amazing people, friends, neighbors, and strangers there to help. It could have been so much worse except for the loving people of Plainview and Hale County.
John SoRelle
PS: I think nowadays, we all look to our cellphones to tell us when something is happening, so cities have stopped the tornado alarms.

[Terry Todd]

I've been away from Plainview for over 20 years, Why in Heaven's name are there no longer Tornado sirens????? If you'll pardon my saying so, That seems like a VERY stupid thing to do in that part of the world. I lived through the 1970 Plainview tornado AND the 1970 Lubbock Tornado. I hate to think what might have happened then.