SENECA, Mo. -- Nearly half of the 21 people killed by a tornado that smashed parts of Oklahoma and Missouri over the weekend died in cars, troubling experts who say vehicles are among 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, surveying the damage in Newton County near the Oklahoma line, the hardest hit area. "This is devastating."
Damaged vehicles are seen near Racine, Mo.
Among those killed were a woman who took shelter in a broken-down car outside someone's home; three people who were rushing to reach a relative's house in their car; and four family members -- Rick Rountree, his wife, his 13-year-old son, and his mother-in-law -- who were in a van on the way to a friend's wedding when the twister, packing winds near 275 km/h, struck the Seneca area on Saturday night. "They were on the road when the warnings came," said Rountree's brother-in-law, Larry Bilke.
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 season isn't over yet. Tornado season typically peaks in the spring and early summer, then again in the late fall.
This could also prove to be the busiest tornado season on record in the United States.
All together, at least 24 people died in Missouri, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama after the severe storms erupted Saturday over the Southern Plains and swept east.
According to data from the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, 49 of the 705 deaths -- or about seven per cent -- 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.
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, which depicts meteorologists chasing tornadoes, came out.
He said driving during severe weather is extremely dangerous for the inexperienced.
"The best advice is to make sure the tornado is completely gone before you venture out," he said.
-- The Associated Press
Protect yourself
The dos and don'ts if a tornado strikes:
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.
Crouch as low as possible to the floor, facing down. Cover your head with your hands.
If you're in a mobile home, get out, even if it's tied down. You're probably safer outside, even if that means seeking shelter out in the open.
If you're outside with no shelter, lie flat in a ditch or depression and cover your head.
DON'TS:
Don't use your car as shelter.
Don't use elevators.
Don't go to the southwest corner of your shelter -- most tornadoes approach from the southwest.
Don't park under an overpass -- it can actually be more dangerous than open ground.
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.
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