Tornados in Mississippi - Univ South Miss
 

Anyone have any info on students dealing with the tornado at the University of Southern Mississippi? Nobody was killed, but here is a link about the damage.

http://www.weather.com/news/deep-sou...adoes-20130210

One of the photos shows all the dorm windows blown out. As a northerner, I wonder where everyone goes when this happens?

In the meantime, I am still without heat, buried under feet of snow in New England, with freezing rain today and more snow coming this week. Please pray for everyone dealing with all of these dangerous weather events. It's really scary!!

Usually an interior hall/room without windows or the basement. Duck and cover!

They said on the Today show today that very few students were on campus because most were in New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Can anybody confirm that most students leave campus for Mardi Gras?

Never mind. Confirmed by the University's web site.

Thank you both for the information. Seeing those photos just scared me so much. My husband grew up in Tornado Alley and I know how bad they can be. It's so scary that something can pop up and just take out so much property and people at once, and it's a miracle that people are able to get to cover and stay safe. At least in New England, we know when something bad is coming (for the most part).

My daughter was in grad. school at Bama when the tornado went thru Tuscaloosa 2 years ago. She lived in a ground floor condo. She, her roommates and some upstairs neighbors all went into her closet. Her condo complex, while not destroyed, suffered a lot of damage. All the windows in her condo were blown out and she had glass all over everything in her bedroom. Some other buildings in her complex had the top floors severely damaged or destroyed, so she and her roommates considered themselves lucky.

The condo was owned by the family of one of the roommates, so the dad went to Tuscaloosa as soon as the all clear was given and boarded up the windows. Because of the devastation caused by the tornado, it took several months for the building materials to arrive and repairs to be completed. She lived in the condo with the boarded up windows until the end of the semester.

Between us living in Oklahoma during part of her childhood, and her RA training at her undergrad. college, she knew what to do. I hope that everyone in Mississippi will be okay.

Mississippi and Mid to North Alabama are in an area called "Dixie Alley." It is Tornado Alley's equally violent little brother. Just talked to a Sister in that area and she confirmed that USM was on a long weekend.

Luckily, the dorm that was shown missing all its windows was one that was empty and scheduled for demolition.

They've determined it was an EF4. That's one strong tornado.

All Pi Phis are accounted for and safe.

You are correct. The students here get Monday and Tuesday off for Mardi Gras every year!

Thoughts and prayers to everyone affected.