Reaching Disaster Victims

According to a report on CNN last Tuesday, the death toll from the tornado that hit Joplin, Missouri last Sunday had reached 124, making it the single deadliest tornado since the National Weather Service began keeping such records 61 years ago.

The tornado in Joplin brought the number of people who have died in U.S. tornadoes to 489 so far this year. The deadliest tornado year on record is 1925, which had 794 deaths, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

There were 506 tornadoes reported in the U.S. through this date last year. It's already more than double that - 1,151 - this year.

Reports of “the end of days” aside, we as citizens of the world have witnessed more than our share of tragedies this year:  the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, the 180 tornadoes that hit the Southeast United States, the extreme flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi, and now the Joplin tornado.

Lest you think, “this never happens in Connecticut,” just remember the tornado on June 24, 2010 that hit Bridgeport.  At the time, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said "I've never seen a storm do so much damage in such a short period of time.
Most of the damage was concentrated in the East Side and East End of the City.”

A natural disaster can happen at any time to any of us, so if you can help, the following organizations are working with victims of natural disasters all over the world:

The American Red Cross

Salvation Army

Feeding America

In addition, The Humane Society's Red Star Animal Emergency
Services works on the ground to rescue pets affected by natural disaster. More
locally, the SPCA of CT has been active in relocating animals made homeless by
storms in the South.

If each of us does a little bit, we can make lives a lot easier for disaster victims.