SENECA, Mo. — More than a third of the 23 people killed by a tornado that smashed parts of Oklahoma and Missouri over the weekend died in cars, troubling experts who say vehicles are one of the worst places to be during a twister.
“It’s like taking a handful of Matchbox cars and rolling them across the kitchen floor,” said Sgt. Dan Bracker of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Among those killed were three people in Oklahoma who were rushing to reach a relative’s house in their car; a woman whose car was blown off a road near Seneca; and four family members who were in a van on the way to a friend’s wedding.
About 100 people have died in U.S. twisters so far this year, the worst toll in a decade, according to the National Weather Service, and the danger has not passed yet. Tornado season typically peaks in the spring and early summer, then again in the late fall.
All together, at least 26 people died in Missouri, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama after the severe storms erupted Saturday over the Southern Plains and swept east. The death toll rose Monday when Tyler Casey, a 21-year-old firefighter in Seneca, died at a hospital. Officials said he got caught in the tornado while trying to warn people to seek shelter.
In Oklahoma, authorities on Monday confirmed that a person died of carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator turned on amid power outages.
According to data from the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, 49 of the 705 deaths — or about 7 percent — attributed to tornadoes from 1997 to 2007 were people who were in vehicles when the storm struck.
“They can cover more ground than you can in your car, so unless you know you are moving away from the tornado, the best thing you can do is find a strong structure,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Foster.
In Picher, Okla., a man and a woman died when their car was blown into a lagoon. The body of another man from the car wound up in a nearby tree.
Val Castor, one of the many spotters who bring dramatic video of tornadoes to local TV stations in Oklahoma, said the number of people on the road during tornadoes seems to have increased every year since 1996, when the movie “Twister” depicted meteorologists chasing tornadoes.
“Vehicles of any size really don’t fare that well in a tornado,” said Rick Smith, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oklahoma. “Vehicles can be thrown and tossed by the wind.”
As with mobile homes, cars are not anchored to the ground, and the wind can easily get underneath them. Winds of less than 100 mph can flip a car, he said.
“That is probably the worst place that you can be.”
What to do in a tornado
DOs:
• If you are already inside a structure, go to a pre-designated shelter area, such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar or the lowest-building level. Avoid areas near windows.
• Listen to a NOAA Weather Radio, regular radio or television for tornado updates. (Battery-powered devices are best.)
• Crouch as low as possible, facing down. Cover the back of your head with your hands.
• If you’re in a mobile home, get out, even if it is tied down. You’re probably safer outside, even if that means seeking shelter in the open.
• If you’re outside with no shelter, lie flat in a ditch or a depression and cover your head with your hands. Be aware of the potential for flooding.
DON’Ts:
• Don’t use your car as a shelter.
• Don’t open the windows in your home. You might be exposed to flying glass if you’re opening windows when the twister hits.
• Don’t use elevators. You could get trapped if the power goes out.
• Don’t go to the southwest corner of your shelter — most tornadoes approach from the southwest.
• Don’t park under an overpass. It can be more dangerous than open ground. A wind-tunnel effect can cause higher wind speeds, driving debris toward you and even propelling you out from under the overpass.
• Don’t light candles, even after the storm has passed. Ruptured gas lines can create a fire hazard, so it’s better to use flashlights.
Sources: Storm Prediction Center, Federal Emergency Management Agency, The Tornado Project, Nationwide Insurance, American Red Cross
