Tornado victims flock to Facebook for helping hand

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Residents of the storm-ravaged communities in the Midwest are reaching out to each other, neighbor to neighbor, through social media sites to coordinate disaster relief and share information.

A chain of fast-moving tornadoes spawned by massive thunderstorms cut a swath of destruction from the Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, killing at least 39 people and leaving many residents homeless and seeking food, clothing, and shelter.

With phone connections spotty as emergency workers tried to repair downed power lines and clear debris, Facebook pages -- accessible by cell phone, mobile device, or computer -- have proven a go-to source for communities to assist one another.

In Morning View, Kentucky, Piner Baptist Church member Bea Angel turned to a Facebook group coordinating help in northern Kentucky to ask for flashlights, baby bottles, baby juice, sippy cups, newborn diapers and other items the church was collecting.

"A gentleman at our church lost everything on Friday and only has the clothes on his back. Looking for men's size 46 pants and XXL shirts," Jennifer Farwell Jewell of Independence, Kentucky, wrote on the page. Community members responded immediately with offers to purchase or donate clothing.

"This type of care and concern is what makes Facebook, and the internet well worth having!" said Timothy Anneken of Fort Wright, Kentucky, on the Facebook page.

At a firehouse in London, a town in the southeast corner of Kentucky, dozens of volunteers gathered to help with salvage efforts and other residents drove up to donate boxes of pizza to the hungry.

One volunteer leader there, 31-year-old medical assistant Heather Reynolds, issued a call on her Facebook page for gloves to protect against the cold, plastic tarps to close holes gouged into homes and clear plastic containers to protect keepsakes found strewn on the ground and threatened by rain and snow already pelting the area.

"Well it looks a lot better than it looked yesterday. However, it will take years for things to be right," Reynolds said.

Dozens of residents in the storm-hit areas have already taken to Facebook to begin planning fundraisers, from raffles and concerts to dance-a-thons, for when the first wave of disaster recovery is over.

"Last few days, we've kept up on the news related to the storms, traded information about who was okay or not, passed notice of missing people, and then the good news that they were found," said Paul Schewene on Facebook, adding that the Facebook groups were "a lot of friends and neighbors reminding them that they're not alone, and that we'll all do what we can to get 'em back on their feet and moving toward recovery."

Critter-conscious residents have even created Facebook groups for pets lost and found during the tornadoes, with the occasional happy reunion complete with heart-warming photos of owners reunited with their best friends.

(Additional reporting by John D. Stoll in Kentucky; Editing by Peter Bohan)

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Pope offers prayers to flood victims (AP)

MILAN – Pope Benedict XVI called Genoa's cardinal on Saturday to express his solidarity with the people of the port city where torrential floods have killed at least six people.

A state of alarm was in effect in several areas of Italy's western coastal region of Liguria, a day after rains lashed it and Genoa, causing flash floods that broke the banks of at least two rivers. Four women and two children were killed.

The pope shared his "prayers for the victims, and all the people hit by the disaster," in a telephone call to Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the news agency ANSA reported.

Bagnasco visited the quarter hardest hit by the foods, telling residents: "The pain is great, but now it is time to roll up the sleeves."

Earlier, Premier Silvio Berlusconi blamed improper construction for preventing proper runoff for the rapid devastation.

"It is evident that there was construction where there shouldn't have been, but perhaps there can be interventions to prevent a repeat of these disasters," Berlusconi said in a statement. "It is terrible to watch helplessly on TV the drama in Genoa, that has involved so many people."

Genoa's mayor, Marta Vicenzi, has been criticized for allowing schools to be open on Friday. An 18-year-old girl died with her brother when she went to pick him up from school for her mother, who was at work, according to Italian news reports.

Vicenzi defended her decision in an interview with the Rome daily La Repubblica, saying she did not want to create chaos and that open schools gave parents the possibility to identify shelter.

Another round of flooding in the Cinque Terre region of Liguria and neighboring Tuscany left at least nine dead in late October.

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Gas boom means little space for Pa. flood victims (AP)

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. – Pennsylvania residents who lost their homes to Tropical Storm Lee more than three weeks ago are having a tough time finding affordable housing, or any housing at all, because workers in the area's natural gas drilling boom have filled nearly every room.

Last month's record flooding has worsened a housing crunch in north central and northeastern Pennsylvania, where a surge in drilling over the past few years has led to housing shortages and skyrocketing rents. Flood victims say that available units are few, and federal disaster assistance doesn't come close to paying the rent on the scattered vacancies that are left.

Kim Eastwood, whose home was severely damaged in the flood, has been staying with her son, daughter and elderly mother in a Red Cross shelter in a high school gymnasium while she tries to find a place for them to live.

It hasn't been easy — not shelter life with its cold showers and hard cots, nor her quest for an apartment or house. "The couple we saw are way too expensive," said Eastwood, 35, of Mehoopany.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it will provide temporary trailers to residents who qualify — the first batch of about 250 trailers has been approved, and they are being rolled out in the coming days and weeks — but that process takes time. In the meantime, flooded-out residents are on a difficult and sometimes fruitless search for housing.

"They can't find any place to go because there is no place to go," said Brian Wrightson, emergency services director for 10 American Red Cross chapters in northeastern Pennsylvania. "They don't want to uproot their children from the schools and leave their communities and it's become an issue."

Storms that wreaked havoc on much of the Northeast last month caused historic flooding of the Susquehanna River and small streams and creeks in Pennsylvania, damaging or destroying many thousands of homes. Statewide, more than 57,000 victims of the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene have registered for federal disaster aid, with about $75 million distributed to date, most of that as rental assistance.

State officials have set up a website, http://www.pahousingsearch.com, to help flood victims find houses and apartments. But in this region of the Marcellus Shale, a rock formation believed to hold the nation's largest reservoir of natural gas, much of the housing stock is clearly geared toward gas-industry workers.

"The rental rates are severely inflated," said Kim Wheeler, a state Department of Community and Economic Development staffer who has been working to secure housing for flood victims in heavily drilled Lycoming County.

In Bradford County, the center of the Marcellus industry, three-bedroom homes are listed for $1,200 to $1,700 per month, far above what a flood victim can be expected to receive from FEMA. That's because rental assistance is based on what the government calculates as fair-market rent for the area — and the fair-market rent for a three-bedroom in Bradford County is only $704.

The supply is grossly inadequate, too. In hard-hit Wyoming County, where Eastwood and 13 others have been sheltering in the gymnasium of Tunkhannock High School, the state website lists only two properties for rent.

Gene Dziak, Wyoming County's emergency management coordinator, said FEMA trailers will be needed to help meet demand.

"To find an apartment within Wyoming County is virtually impossible," he said. "We're kind of waiting for our temporary housing situation to be squared away and for FEMA to step in and help. That's in the very near future, we hope."

As of Friday, FEMA had identified 2,721 disaster relief applicants statewide that qualify for trailers, or "temporary housing units" in FEMA parlance. Of those, the agency had managed to contact more than 1,800 applicants and confirmed 249 of them for the housing units, which come fully furnished with a kitchen, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

"We are very aware there's a shortage of rental resources in the state, and we are addressing it," said FEMA spokesman Michael Sweet.

High rents and low supply aren't the only challenges confronting flood victims in the Marcellus Shale. Even for more reasonably price units, landlords often balk at signing leases with terms under a year, or they don't accept pets, or there's some other reason it's not a good fit, Wheeler said.

A majority of the six dozen families who have come to Wheeler for help are still looking.

"Very few of (the landlords) are really doing this (to provide) true assistance to the flood victims. They're a business and they want someone in there who they don't have to worry about for a while," Wheeler said. "It's not an easy or pretty picture."

At the Red Cross shelter in Tunkhannock where 14 people remained late last week, caseworkers have proposed splitting up the Eastwood family and moving them to Carbondale, an hour's drive to the east. Eastwood is resisting. "We're not moving to Carbondale. I have kids in school, my mom is older and her doctor's here," she said.

So they remain at the shelter, using $600 of their $1,700 in FEMA rental assistance on a pair of two-night stays at a hotel — a small taste of normalcy.

Another family staying at the shelter plans to move to Georgia. Christy Fowler, 43, a Georgia native who lived in Mehoopany with her husband and three children, said the family had talked about moving south for a while. The flood that wrecked the first floor of their home made it an easy call — there's nowhere else in the area they can afford.

Private rentals and FEMA trailers will end up housing only a portion of the victims of last month's flood. Most displaced residents have moved in with high-and-dry family members.

That has made for some very cramped quarters.

Lori Chilson, 40, has seven extra people living in her house in Laporte, Sullivan County, all of them from her husband's side of the family. Her husband, a contractor, installed a second full bathroom to accommodate the influx, especially his mother, who's on oxygen and needed a bathroom near her sleeping quarters.

"We had to do what we had to do," Chilson said. "It's been hard, but everyone's adjusting. It's working well so far."

With expenses mounting, especially for heating oil, Chilson has inquired about getting federal disaster assistance but was told it's only for flood victims.

"They said we're not flood victims," she said, "but we kind of are."

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Pinckneyville, Ill., Builds Hope for Joplin, Mo., Tornado Victims (ContributorNetwork)

Residents of Pickneyville, Ill., are familiar with the hazards of living in tornado country, so when they were given a chance to be a part of the rebuilding effort for Joplin, Mo., one of the communities devastated by a tornado in May.

Contempri Homes in Pinckneyville will donate the facility and materials to build a two-bedroom, 1,200 square-foot home to be given to a family that lost everything in the storm. The project is part of Extreme Makeover Home Edition's plan to build seven homes in seven days in the community that suffered as much as $3 billion in damages from the tornado. More than 100 people died in the storm.

Brad Perry, Contempri's chief operating officer, said, "If you've got a heart for service and can handle a paintbrush or a hammer, we encourage you to join us. We've had calls from groups and individuals from three or four states, offering to help but we'd like to offer the volunteer openings to residents of our home region first. When it's all said and done this is about getting a family back in their home, and I feel confident in our ability as a community to do that."

Contempri was asked to participate by Sher-wood Forest Homes of Joplin, a retailer that sells Contempri homes. The company was too busy to just add another house to its work schedule, but that didn't mean they didn't want to help.

So, they put together a plan. With enough volunteers, a house could be built in 36 to 40 hours, using the Contempri facilities and supervised by Contempri staff. The company is supplying the materials and the know-how; the community is supplying the labor.

Up to 300 could participate in the marathon building session which will start just after midnight on a Friday night and conclude in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Construction starts at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 8.

Once the house is completed, it will be wrapped in white plastic and all the volunteers will be asked to sign the shipping materials with words of hope for Joplin. That afternoon volunteers will hold a celebratory barbeque, then Pickneyville Police Chief John Griffin will drive escort as the home is delivered to Joplin, about seven hours away.

The finishing touches for the home, including cabinets, will be added beginning the week of Oct. 19 when Extreme Makeover Home Edition arrives in Joplin to film its special broadcast.

Local residents wanting to volunteer must be 18 years old or have a signed parental permission slip and be prepared to work a two hour shift at any time between 12:01 Oct. 8 and 6 a.m. Oct. 9. Volunteers must also attend a mandatory Volunteer Rally on Oct. 5. Volunteers should register at Pickneyville Builds Hope.

Lucinda Gunnin cut her teeth as a reporter covering Illinois news as an intern in the statehouse pressroom. She now brings 20 years insight and experiences to covering Illinois issues.

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FEMA Drops the Ball Again, This Time with Alabama Tornado Victims (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | The Federal Emergency Management Agency, the government agency assigned to assist victims of natural disasters. The agency has a history of mismanagement, with Hurricane Katrina victims and now in the April and May tornado outbreaks in Alabama.

April and May saw the worst outbreak of tornadoes in the United States in 60 to 80 years. The Joplin, Mo., tornado in May had the highest death toll of any tornado since the 1920s. As of Monday, 153 people have died from the May 22 EF5 tornado.

From April 25-28, many Southern states saw a super tornado outbreak. States hardest hit were Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. 334 confirmed tornadoes across 21 states claimed 332 lives. The April 25-28 outbreak was the largest since the 1927 Tri-State outbreak. April 27 saw the single most widespread tornado damage since the 1936 Tupelo-Gainsborough outbreak.

FEMA is responsible for disaster assistance, particularly with organizing rescue and clean-up efforts and providing financial assistance. It is a government-run, taxpayer funded agency. Chief among the complaints about FEMA have been poorly trained staff, confused organization and leadership, inadequate and ineffectual disaster response plans and worst of all lack of coordination in getting emergency supplies to disaster sites.

FEMA only just announced that trailers for the April 25-28 and Joplin tornado victims were ready. It's been almost two months since the April tornadoes and almost a month since the Joplin tornado. In Katrina, the FEMA trailers caused many health problems with formaldehyde. If delays in getting trailers ready for victims are because of formaldehyde health issues, it doesn't take that long for the smell to dissipate.

FEMA has a history of being parsimonious with federal disaster money, too. Instead of administering grant money to the disaster victims it was intended for, it tends to make victims jump through too many complicated hoops to get it. That's what's happening in Alabama. Many homeowners and tenants who are applying for disaster relief are being denied assistance.

FEMA says tornado victims' homes which are missing walls, roofs and functional utilities show "insufficient damage" to qualify for help. Some homeowners have been able to get help from their insurance policies, but others have gotten trapped in red tape. These people having been living this way for nearly two months now.

FEMA isn't alone in dropping the ball on disaster relief. In Cordova, Ala., the single-wide FEMA trailers were banned. Because of health risks? No. The mayor thinks the trailers aren't pretty enough. Mayor Jack Scott explained that he didn't want "run-down trailers parked all over town years from now".

In February 2006 a report came out stating that the problems with FEMA existed before Hurricane Katrina. Some critics say the agency failed in its response to Hurricane Andrew back in 1992. That was 13 years prior to Katrina and still the agency was rife with unaddressed internal problems. Now in 2011, it seems FEMA still doesn't seem to be learning from its mistakes, nearly 20 years later.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes from 22 years parenting four children, 25 teaching K-8, special needs, adult education and home-school and six years in journalism.

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Deadly Fungal Infection Endangers Joplin Tornado Victims (ContributorNetwork)

On top of the devastating tornado which struck Joplin, Mo., May 22, victims and rescue workers now face another threat: a deadly fungus called zygomycosis (Mucormycosis). Several tornado victims would have survived if not for this fungal infection.

According to the National Institute of Health, zygomycosis is a common fungus found in soil and rotting vegetation. We are surrounded by it; most healthy people are not affected by the fungus. However, people with compromised immune systems and trauma victims are at risk for infection from zygomycosis. Children and pregnant women are always at special risk for infection and should be watched closely.

There are several forms of zygomycosis infections: sinus, lung, gastrointestinal and kidney. Symptoms occurring in Joplin primarily occur in the sinuses: sinus congestion and pain, rhinitis (runny nose), headache, nasal irritation, fever, cough, and abdominal pain. Any of these symptoms in injury victims should be reported immediately.

Zygomycosis infection has occurred in other disaster sites, like after the 2004 tsunami. Fungal infection is linked to natural disasters in several ways. First, in weather-related disasters, the landscape is damaged, releasing more of the fungus into the atmosphere.

Next, after a disaster, large areas of trees and plants are laid to waste. In a tornado or earthquake, terrain is ripped up. In a tsunami or hurricane, crops are destroyed and left to rot by flood waters. Also, injured farmers aren't able to tend to crops properly after a tornado or hurricane. All this creates the rotting vegetation that zygomycosis feeds on.

Disasters leave many normally healthy people with compromised immune systems. The emotional trauma of losing loved ones, homes and property is enough to make victims more susceptible to illness. If they have been injured, tornado victims are exponentially more at-risk for illnesses that healthy people could ward off.

Also, disaster survivors with medical conditions that existed before the tornado (diabetes, organ transplant, cancer, chronic drug or steroid use) are at additional risk. The Joplin tornado struck St. John's Regional Medical Center, leaving many patients and staff injured. These people are in a high-risk group.

Rescue workers are in danger of infection from zygomycosis. Poor sanitation is one of the most common disaster after-effects. Ruptured water and sewer lines and damaged power lines create unhealthy masses of bacteria and spread infection. As a fungus, zygomycosis clings to damaged surfaces, such as broken boards and protruding nails. If rescue workers injure themselves, they are at greater risk for infection.

How can we prevent the spread of zygomycosis and other infections among disaster workers? Wear protective clothing: face masks, heavy gloves, long sleeved shirts, work pants and safety goggles. Avoid direct contact with damaged structures, and use equipment rather than your bare hands to handle debris. Be sure you are up-to-date on immunizations.

Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes from 22 years parenting four children and 25 teaching K-8, special needs, adult education and homeschool.

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Japan disaster victims face mental health risks (AP)

By TOMOKO A. HOSAKA, Associated Press Tomoko A. Hosaka, Associated Press – Fri Jun 10, 5:27 am ET

TOKYO – Survivors of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami need long-term mental health care to protect them from debilitating conditions that could lead to suicide, Japan's government said Friday.

In its annual policy paper on suicide prevention, the Cabinet Office decided to include a separate section on the psychological needs of disaster victims. The report said survivors may be undergoing shock, stress and depression from the overwhelming losses. They may also feel guilty for escaping death.

More than 23,000 are dead or missing, and entire towns along Japan's northeast coast were washed away.

Observers around the world have lauded survivors' calm demeanor in the face of tragedy and destruction, but the report warns against assumptions that the Japanese could largely withstand problems like post traumatic stress disorder.

"In fact, we cannot determine this until we are able to obtain detailed information," the report said.

Japan already has one of the highest suicide rates in the industrialized world, with nearly 25 suicides per 100,000 people. That compares to about 11 per 100,000 in the United States.

The figure trails only Russia, parts of Eastern Europe and South Korea. Suicides in Japan rose dramatically during a financial crisis in 1998, and more than 30,000 people have killed themselves every year since.

Three months after the disaster, the Japanese Red Cross cites mental health as a "major concern," especially among the 91,000 still living in evacuation shelters. It said Friday it is expanding the number of caregivers and psychosocial support teams working in evacuation centers and nursing homes.

The government paper urges aid workers and local mental health providers to reach out to survivors by offering mental health education and simple consultations. People with problems should be screened and properly treated by a specialist, it said.

"Post-disaster mental care should be tackled for months and years," the report said. "There is an urgent need for the overall region to strengthen its engagement with this issue."

Friday's paper also revealed broader suicide statistics in Japan.

Men accounted for about 70 percent of the country's 31,690 suicides last year. More than 60 percent of people who took their own lives did not have jobs, underscoring the strong correlation in Japan between economic conditions and suicide.

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Unwelcome Westboro Baptist Church Plans to Protest Joplin Tornado Victims (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | As Joplin, Mo., recovers from a devastating blow from an EF5 tornado, residents are beginning to pick up the pieces. Search and rescue efforts are gradually turning to recovery as emergency vehicles are leaving town and volunteers are finishing their work.

A memorial service is planned for Sunday, May 29, at 1 p.m., the same day President Obama is scheduled to visit the city. An unwelcome group may also be coming to Joplin this weekend.

Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., has a press release on its website stating they will show up and protest on Sunday. At the same time, a counter protest is also being organized on the Facebook page called "Counter Protest Westboro Coming to Joplin."

Yes, the same Westboro Baptist Church that has made national news for protesting military funerals is heading to Joplin. Topeka is about three hours away, an easy drive for anyone in the Phelps family.

However, logistics may limit the ability of the church to do anything in Joplin. The damaged areas are still under lockdown. Residents and property owners, as well as emergency workers, are the only ones allowed in the destruction zone. Westboro certainly won't get anywhere close to damaged areas. They won't get near shelters, as homeless and injured people need to rest and recover.

Obama will likely tour the damaged areas. Where he will meet with residents has yet to be determined, as is his arrival time. Hopefully Obama will speak at the memorial service at 1 p.m. to offer hope and inspiration. If he stays in the damaged area, Westboro won't even get close to the president.

The counter protest to parlay the church protesters so far states they will form up at 10:30 a.m. at North Park Mall. Over 6,600 people have "liked" the page on Facebook. Some people are coming from as far away as Illinois.

Joplin is a town badly hurting. If anyone comes all the way from out of town to counter Westboro's presence, I also urge them to volunteer a few hours at a shelter if they are able to help out. It shows WBC the true meaning of being a member of a spiritual community by spreading love and compassion instead of hate and vitriol.

Westboro has no business being in Joplin. If it is like any other threatened protest: All Phelps and his followers want is to get extra attention by even releasing information about their protest schedule.

William Browning is a research librarian specializing in U.S. politics. Born in St. Louis, Browning is active in local politics and served as a campaign volunteer for President Barack Obama and Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill.

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How to Help Victims of the Joplin Tornado (ContributorNetwork)

Emergency crews in Joplin, Mo., are still searching for survivors after an EF-4 tornado plowed through the southwestern Missouri town. There have been a reported 116 deaths.

"You see pictures of World War II, the devastation and all that with the bombing. That's really what it looked like," Kerry Sachetta, the principal of Joplin High School, told ABC News. "I couldn't even make out the side of the building. It was total devastation in my view. I just couldn't believe what I saw."

The school -- along with the city's main hospital, Walmart and Home Depot -- were flattened in the Sunday afternoon disaster.

"This tornado basically started over Joplin and stayed there for a long time," Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said. "It is devastating but we are working hard to continue to find those that are still alive."

Nixon said that five families have been pulled from the rubble, but rescuers are still searching for survivors.

The devastation in the city has prompted relief organizations like the American Red Cross to mobilize to the area. You can also help in a variety of ways.

Donate to the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross has set up a donation page on their official website that allows you to give directly to Joplin tornado relief. The Joplin Chapter of the Red Cross needs supplies as well '" call (417) 624-4411 or info@redcross-ozarks.org to find out what is needed most.

Blood Donations

The Community Blood Center of the Ozarks is in dire need of blood donations from all blood types, especially type O. The organization has several donation points in the area '" view them all from their website.

Volunteering

If you're near Joplin and want to help with relief efforts, the United Way and 211 Missouri are organizing volunteers via their website. You can also call them directly at (800) 427-4626.

Doctors and nurses are also needed. The Greater Ozarks chapter of the Red Cross is organizing medical volunteer efforts through their hotline: (417) 832-9500.

More volunteer efforts will likely develop in the coming days '" follow the Joplin Volunteer and Outreach Station, Joplin Tornado Citizen Checks and Joplin, MO Tornado Recovery on Facebook to keep up-to-date with the latest information on how you can help the people of Joplin.

Have you heard of other Joplin tornado relief efforts?

Meagan Morris is a freelance multimedia journalist who focuses her work around important cultural and women's issues around the globe. Follow her on Twitter @upsidemeagan.

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