h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Forget the Tornado Watch, we had a full-blown tornado here in Utah today. Sorry, your eclipse was eclipsed on the evening news. So far official reports have 1 dead, over 20 injured. The tornado ripped up a block-long tent in the downtown where they were setting up for a trade show. Had the tornado waited one day there would likely have been far more casualties.
The storm ruined the roof of the Delta Center, a local sports arena and home of the Utah Jazz Basketball team. It uprooted trees and damaged many buildings and vehicles.
We're just glad that it wasn't any worse.
RSBohn/U37566

RSBohn, I heard about that on the news yesterday and was in shock, I have friends out there and none of us ever thought a tornado would ever hit Utah.....goes to show us that anything can happen. I still have not heard anything from one of my dearest friends, Cora Lowe, if you happen to know her let me know how she is, I am still trying to contact her with no success and am worried about whether or not she or her family were injured. As for my "Life is a Tornado Watch" sign on my page, I had placed that there a few weeks back because I had heard that on an program I was watching one night and thought it was very good and would never of dreamed at the time how true it was.......I hope that you and your family were unharmed by the catastrophy yesterday and my sympathies go out to all the families that found themselves in the path of this tornado. I know that most likely there is nothing I can do but if by some chance there is something I can do to help let me know and I will do my best.
sharil wallace

I forgot to mention one thing in my posting up there.....the Eclipse being put on the back burner on the evening news, it was not my eclipse for I live in Alabama but I am sure that those who were in the area where the Eclipse took place understood why their Eclipse was not given the attention that it would of otherwise received, this was far more important than the Sun and Moon aligning in such a way as to give a "Neat" show, this was about life and just how quickly everything can change. As I stated in my last posting, I hope you and yours were unharmed by yesterdays events and if I can do anything to help please let me know.
sharil wallace

We are all fine here. I'm sorry I don't have any way to contact your friend. The one fatality was a man from Las Vegas who was here for the trade show. Around 50 people wound up in local hospitals, around 6 were reported in critical condition.

The tornado started in the down-town area, then it moved to the north east up around the state capital. Several houses in 'The Avenues' had extensive damage.

As bad as it was, I'm thankful that the damage wasn't any worse.
RSBohn/U37566

My Grandmother told me she would have been on a bus in the tornado area, but she felt like she should wait for the rain to calm down. She was just leaving her Sr. Citizen's Center when she turned around.

RSBohn/U37566

I am still trying to contact Cora, I did not think you knew her but thought it could not hurt to try. I am glad there were no more deaths than there were. I know it has to be terrible there because you are not used to the tornado's or prepaired for the damage that they can cause. I am glad your grandmother decided to wait instead of board that bus....i would not want to think of what would of happened otherwise..
sharil