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Tornados Strike Throughout the South

Aired May 11, 2008 - 16:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We lost everything, but we're alive. I believe god was watching over us. How else would you come out of that?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Amazing stories of survival and sadness this Sunday as savage storms sweep across the south. There is death and damage spread across a huge area. And at this hour, we're getting a new and close-up look at these powerful tornadoes all while more storms are brewing right now. Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Extreme weather straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

And, so, grim news to report this mother's day, the stormy spring of 2008 has claimed more lives and ravaged entire communities. Reported tornadoes struck mortal blows in at least three states the combined death toll in Missouri, Oklahoma and Georgia now stands at 22 in all. It started early last evening in eastern Oklahoma where eight tornadoes have now been confirmed by first light of day. Much of the former mining town of Picher lay in total ruin. Just look at the images there Seven deaths confirmed there. The twister was Oklahoma's most vicious in nearly a decade and President Bush addressed the disaster just before flying out of Texas.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We send our prayers to those who lost their lives and the families of those who lost their lives and the federal government will be moving hard to help. I'll be in touch with the governors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And a short time ago we received these images here taking place out of Picher, Oklahoma. We're in the Severe Weather Center where Jacqui Jeras has been watching the satellites, the radars, all of that and assessing this image right here which is so frightening.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: That's a big twister.

JERAS: It is a big twister. I don't think we're going to see more pictures like this today. The systems still could produce tornadoes but not these huge, big wedge tornadoes that cause so much damage and destruction. We still have watches which are out there. We got have some in the deep south and some up towards the Appalachians and into the Carolinas. We'll go ahead and show you the radar pictures and show you the areas of concerns right now where those watches are. Yes, those big, red boxes that you see from Virginia through South Carolina. The most active watch that has been producing the most severe weather right down here into southern Georgia and the northern parts of Florida and we do have one tornado warning just put into effect for southeastern Liberty and northeastern McIntosh County. This is in southeastern Georgia that you can see it just north of the Brunswick area. So, you need to be seeking shelter right now.

We're also watching a lot of this spin from this storm system here up towards Charleston and then look at that long line that is just to the west of Richmond and that's also going to be moving through the Raleigh-Durham area here very shortly. In fact, you're probably seeing that lightning just on out to your west. The severe weather threat is going to be diminishing now as we head into the evening hours.

So, we've got a couple hours to go and things are going to be looking a lot better. Now, we want to show you that video again out of Picher, Oklahoma. This is new video that we just got in out of Picher and it shows you the large size of this tornado. This is what we would call a wedge tornado. Look at how wide that thing is. A lot of times, we'll see videos of tornadoes that it kind of end in that little point and you'll see some debris going around. But when you see this wedge like this, you know that the tornado is very large and that the tornado is also very strong and based on what I'm seeing here and based on what we're seeing with some of the damage video, I'm going to say that this is at least an EF-3 tornado with wind maybe 160 miles plus per hour. That is what we would consider a severe tornado.

Now, these pictures we're getting in here they come from Wesley Shultz and he is actually in Picher right now. Wesley, are you with us?

WESLEY SCHULTZ, I-REPORTER: Yes, I can hear you.

JERAS: Hello, Wesley. Tell me, where were you and what were you doing when you took this video?

SCHULTZ: We just basically came out of the house. We first heard the fire alarms going off. Evidently that the tornado alarm didn't go off and ran into the fire department and they told us to get back in our house and I knew my house wasn't going to stand so we got in our vehicles and we got the kids and we went south of Picher, Oklahoma. Pulled into a little spot and did a little bit of recording.

JERAS: And how far away from the tornado were you when you took this?

SCHULTZ: Approximately about a mile and a half, two miles estimating.

JERAS: And what was going through your mind at the time?

SCHULTZ: I just wanted to get some good video and basically capture it for my own documentation because it's first one I've seen and the first one I've been through.

JERAS: OK. Well, it's good that you got out of your house if you didn't feel that was a safe structure. Hopefully you were in a safe position. I wouldn't advise anyone to get out there and try and film the tornado. But these pictures are just incredible. How did your home fair? How are people in your area doing today?

SCHULTZ: Well, north of Picher, Oklahoma, did get hit and we helped out the ones that did get hit in the south part of Picher, Oklahoma. Once it passed through, we came back and we started rescue procedures then.

JERAS: All right. These pictures are really incredible, Can you describe to us in your own words what you saw? Did you just see a big, dark cloud? Did you hear that train noise that they talk about? Did you see debris flying?

SCHULTZ: Yes, we've seen a lot of debris coming out of there from the time we decided to move, I was more or less worried about what was going on around me. Paying attention and how close it was coming towards me. I knew where it started coming in at towards the north side of town. So, I knew it was coming towards me and I decided to move from the area.

JERAS: What were your kids saying?

SCHULTZ: Say again.

JERAS: What were your children saying? Were they just in awe of this sight?

SCHUTLZ: I made sure they got out before I did. I didn't want anyone's life in danger or anything like that. I wasn't going to put mine in danger very long. I just wanted to get a couple of shots and show the public how it was coming and what was going on here.

JERAS: And what kind of warning did you have? You said you heard the sirens go off.

SCHULTZ: We only had to fire sirens go off here in Picher. Or evidently I found out later on that our tornado siren didn't work.

JERAS: OK, but you heard what? The fire truck alarms were going off? I'm a little confused.

SCHULTZ: Yes, it was a fire truck alarm going off, came right by our house.

JERAS: OK. And they warned everybody to get out.

SCHULTZ: Stepped outside and saw the tornado.

JERAS: And how much time did you have between hearing those warnings and actually seeing the tornado?

SCHULTZ: Yes, it was approximately about 40 seconds.

JERAS: Wow. So not a lot of time. Sounds like you got out just in time. Wesley Schultz, thank you so much for joining us today, sharing that video with us and we're really glad to hear you're OK and you're safe.

SCHULTZ: Thank you.

JERAS: All right. Thanks very much, Wesley. Just incredible pictures and our i-reporters also has been sending in an amazing video. The National Weather Service has been out in Picher, Oklahoma, assessing the damage. We haven't gotten an official confirmation of how strong the winds were with this tornado, but they're saying the track of this thing could have been as long as 63 miles. So, this is really very extreme. This is almost as bad as it gets, I think, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Yes, well, he took some incredible chances by getting those images. But I'm glad he did so in a safe manner, if we can call it that. Thanks so much, Jacqui.

All right, well, Missouri is one of the hard-hit states. Oklahoma, Georgia, the others. Missouri Governor Matt Blunt is on the line with us now. Mr. Governor, give me an idea of what you're seeing as you're assessing for the first time the kind of damage that has hit your state.

VOICE OF GOVERNOR MATT BLUNT, MISSOURI: Well, it's, obviously, very dramatic and we're working closely with the Missouri National Guard and other first responders as we search for survivors and hope the communities that were impacted and the households that were impacted recover from the damage. We still have several thousand Missourians without power because of substations that were impacted. In fact, about 9,000 Missourians are without power and may be without power for three to five days. Shelters have been opened. Everybody is really focused now on ensuring that we have found any potential survivor, anybody that is unaccounted for. Obviously, people are working phone trees and that sort of thing to try to find out the who might be unaccounted for and everybody is really focused now on the response and Missourians are very resilient people and focus on helping the people of southwest Missouri get through this terrible disaster.

WHITFIELD: And Governor Blunt, last check there were three counties that were hit hardest there in your state and we're talking about a death toll of at least 14.

BLUNT: Correct.

WHITFIED: Is that number still correct?

BLUNT: That is the number that we have. Obviously, we're hopeful that that will not grow, but in Newton County, there were about 12 fatalities and in Jasper and Berry county, which are next door neighbors to Newton, each had one fatality. There are about 85 people, at least 85 that were injured and some of these injuries are fairly severe. So, we'd urge all your listeners to keep all of those that were injured in these storms in their prayers.

WHITFIELD: Do they feel like people were bracing in genera; for severe weather that would mean tornadoes like this, at this scale? BLUNT: I don't believe so. I don't think anybody really expected - this is a fairly sudden development, so, it's not the sort of thing that people appeared to have had a lot of time to prepare for.

WHITFIELD: So how do you help those particularly those who have just been displaced. The survivors of this storm and now they have to figure out, where do they go tonight?

BLUNT: Well, you know, we know three shelters that are opened in our churches and charitable organizations are great when we have natural disasters to open up and create shelters. We only have a handful of people use those last night. Most folks are staying with friends or neighbors and this is certainly a good time for Missourians to check on one another and make sure that relatives are in a safe, have a safe place to stay tonight.

WHITFIELD: And governor, President Bush said earlier today that he is making federal resources available for those who need it. Will you be asking for federal assistance?

BLUNT: You know, we very well may actually have not clearly speak to the President shortly after noon. And we certainly appreciate his sympathy and prayers that he and the First Lady extended for the people of Missouri and we've had a very responsive relationship in this natural disaster with FEMA. So, we'll be doing a full damage assessment and if appropriate requesting federal assistance.

WHITFIELD: Governor Matt Blunt of Missouri, thanks so much and all the best in your cleanup and recovery and search efforts.

BLUNT: Thank you very much.

WHITFIELD: Missouri hit hard. Oklahoma hit hard and Georgia, as well. Let's go back to Oklahoma now where Susan Candiotti is and she's in the battered town of Picher where, sadly, seven people died in the storm that hit that town. Susan.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is massive devastation here and you can see some of it over my shoulder here. I want to give you a feel for what this town was all about in its heyday back around World War II. At its height, population around 46,000 or so. If you look over here, these are the gravel pits, some call them chat or gravel, but underneath there you got caves, you have massive lead pollution and zinc mining that had been going on there and years ago the federal government decided to clean this up on several different occasions. This community of Picher was in the process of being, all the homeowners are being bought out. Their homes purchased by the government. Well, you could say that by the looks of things here the storm has taken care of quite a bit of that.

I want to show you as we see time and again in these tornadoes and certainly one this strong, the power of nature. Look at this basketball hoop. Bent in half here. Just like that. You walk over here and you see an uprooted tree. The roots, sitting here on part of the house. If you swing it back over here. This is the hole from which it came and it uprooted itself and flew across there. And this house here, we're going to walk across here. Be real careful as you do, we'll show you Sue Segel's house. Fortunately, she wasn't home when this happened. Watch out for that piece of wood there. She lived here for almost 30 years. She wasn't home and she got a phone call that nothing was left.

The government was in the process of putting in a bid to her, a take it or leave it offer for her to move out of here. She had not yet signed on the dotted line, obviously, she will now. Sue is still on the site. You see her sitting on that pile of debris right now. Not a very happy mother's day for her, but she is upbeat that she at least walks away with her life and all afternoon here, family members and a lot of friends, she's a schoolteacher had been helping her sift through all of this to see what she could salvage -- photographs, a Mickey Mantle softball for example that he had autographed. He lived not far from here. And she is just one person of many here that will now have to as you hear time and again, pick up the pieces and move on with their lives.

The Red Cross had opened a shelter, only five people stayed there overnight. Much like the governor of Missouri, like he said, a lot of friends and family are taking in those who have been displaced and that will be going on obviously in the days and weeks and months to come as they try to pull things together here. As one resident here described it, Picher was already a dying town and now it may have breathed its last breath. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Very profound. Thank you very much. Susan Candiotti there.

Well, these deadly tornadoes did strike overnight. More trouble, however, could be brewing right now. A live report from Georgia next.

Then, they survived the cyclone, will they survive the aftermath. Much-needed relief finally reaching people in Myanmar or is it?

And the first pictures are in from last night's western White House wedding. You're in at CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Of the four states hit from these storms three of them were really hard hit. Storm-ravaged Arkansas just may have dodged a bullet. As many as two possible tornadoes hit that state last evening but no one was killed there. One hit a bowling alley in a town southeast of Little Rock.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH SMITH, TORNADO SURVIVOR: If you've seen the movie "Twister," that's how it sounds like. The walls were shaking. The roof was rattling. And at that time, across the bowling alley, it took the lanes. It took the roof off the lanes and the roof actually ended up in front of the bowling alley doors. The bathroom stall walls fell over and we just brought it down and the ceiling down with about 30 people at the bowling alley up against the wall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: In the meantime in Georgia, the storm struck just before dawn. One person died in a town just south of Macon and then in a nearby county just south of Atlanta, a twister tore through suburban neighborhoods leaving a number of homes simply unlivable. CNN's Nicole Lapin is live for us now in the battered Georgia town of Ellenwood. Nicole.

NICOLE LAPIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, it's definitely not the mother's day wake up these people were expecting. I really want to get all of these images that we're seeing over to you. You can just see some of the fierce, fierce winds, up to 120 miles an hour early this morning. That's not where the washing machine is supposed to be. That is, obviously, not where the garage door is supposed to be. And as you see, just some of these winds scattering the debris all in this area. When we first rolled in to Ellenwood we saw a lot of, what almost looked like snow but really what it was a lot of foam insulation from inside the roof that I have to tell you this is a brand-new community and a lot of people's dream homes almost in this area. We just heard from the fire chief and he said that it wasn't isolated to this area, a lot of other areas were affected, as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX COHILAS, EMERGENCY OFFICIAL: Totally within a two-square mile area that we have identified as our initial search area. We have counted 173 homes that have been damaged to some degree. Of those 173, 53 have been determined to be uninhabitable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAPIN: And, you know, Fred, uninhabitable means that they're putting up caution tape like this. That is about a third of the homes. But you can hear those numbers and it's really all about the stories, the individual stories. We hear time and again the stories of people helping people here. You can see they're helping put up tarps right now. They're helping board up the windows right now. And you even see that some of the kids in this area are helping out, as well. These things over here were actually not in this house. This was in the house right across the street. That's where Lorenzo lived. Lorenzo was there early this morning. What did it sound like for you? Were you scared?

LORENZO BODDIE, TORNADO SURVIVOR: Well, I was scared. It sounded like, just like a big boom just coming. So, we gathered and we just said get in the closet, get in the closet, get in the closet, it's coming because we knew that a tornado is going to come. So, we prepared for it and then once we prepared, we got in the closet and then it calmed down. And then when we went upstairs it was adjust a total disaster.

LAPIN: And your dad right here, you just finished talking to the insurance people, what were they telling you?

LAWRENCE BODDIE, TORNADO SURVIVOR: They were just telling me to try to gather up as much of our things and try to keep everything together so when they get the claim he said it's going to be two or three days because we got so many people before they could come out and try to do anything. We just board the house and cover it up and just leave it.

LAPIN: And your niece Amanda usually not with you. Amanda, you were in the basement just, you just happen to be there.

AMANDA HOWARD, TORNADO SURVIVOR: In the safe place, the right place at the right time and just ran to the closet and we're already down in an underground apartment. And it's the best thing.

LAPIN: That was the best thing. That's what a lot of people, thank you so much, guys. The Boddie family joining us live right now. That's what a lot of people are saying that it's the best thing. Despite all of these damages, it's all replaceable and the best thing is that they're all together on this mother's day, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Absolutely. All right. Nicole Lapin, thanks so much from Ellenwood, Georgia.

WHITFIELD: Well, cyclone survivors overseas finally get some humanitarian aid but will it be enough and will it come soon enough. Plus, the damage is widespread and the death toll could rise. Back in this country, deadly storms trek across the south while it's not over. The latest coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Tragedy of another scale. An air ambulance crash has claimed the life of a surgeon, a nurse and a pilot. Ground control lost contact with the University of Wisconsin medical chopper last night after it took over from Lacrosse. The crew was headed back to Madison after dropping off a patient. Searchers found the crash site this morning. Preliminary reports suggest the chopper flew into a hillside or possibly hit some trees.

Talk about adding insult to injury, a Red Cross boat carrying relief supplies for cyclone survivors sank today in Myanmar. An international aid group says 1.5 million people there could die from disease if they don't get clean water and sanitation soon. Some aid is trickling in. The first U.S. relief flight should land in Myanmar tomorrow. The U.S. military hopes Myanmar's junta leaders will allow American helicopters to fly supplies to remote regions.

CNN Sarah Sidner is keeping an eye on the humanitarian effort from nearby Thailand.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARAH SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The U.S. military is furiously preparing to send in aid to Myanmar. We're here on U-Tapao, Thailand, on a Thai military base where the U.S. has been able to stage its operation. They've got buckets. They've got building materials like plastic sheathing and nails. They also have thousands of pounds of blankets and water to be sent in on a C-130 airplane into Myanmar. The deal that has been made is that Myanmar will allow the U.S. government to drop these items off, allow the military in Myanmar to pick it up and take it out to the people. This really is a mission they are hoping of trust that will gain trust between the two nations so that more aid could be sent in. So far Myanmar had allowed three plane loads from the U.S. to come into the country. The U.S. is hoping that eventually, they will be able to send in aid workers who can get on the ground and assess the situation. Never mind other things like boats and also hilos, that bring in helicopters to the area that can get very close to those in desperate need who are in the delta. Right now, this is really a mission of mercy. They're hoping that these items will end up saving lives. Sarah Sidner, CNN, U- Tapao, Thailand.

WHITFIELD: And we know you probably want to help. So, at cnn.com we have a special page on the devastation in Myanmar and click on the natural disaster link to reach agencies organizing help for the region.

Here in this country, a weekend of severe weather claims nearly two dozen deaths in three states. Search and rescue efforts for survivors are well under way. We'll hear from many of those on the scene.

Plus, where the storm is now and where it is headed. Our Jacqui Jeras is live with an update coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Happening right now search teams on the ground in Missouri and Oklahoma after tornadoes ripped through those states. At least 22 people were killed in three states touched by these tornadoes about 150 others were hurt and dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged and officials say unknown number of people are missing.

The same violent storm system also hit Georgia. A suspected twister killed one person there and destroyed an entire town. Homes and businesses were damaged in several counties. About 80,000 people lost power.

Then in Arkansas this scene, a tornado touched down ripping apart a home and some businesses. Cars were flipped over and trees came down. Amazingly, no one was hurt.

Let's check in with Jacqui Jeras who continues to watch these storm systems and I do say plural systems, there were several, right?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: One main system but our areas of damage and activity really has varied a little bit and covered so many states. Our big focus over the last couple hours has really been into the Carolinas and the southern Georgia and also northern Florida. We just got a brand-new warning and this one is in North Carolina right now. It is for Cleveland, McDowell, Burke and Rutherford Counties. There you can see the cell we're talking about just to the south of Hickory and also moving off into an easterly direction.

And one other thing I want you to notice, here is the watch box right here. This warning is outside of the watch box, so keep in mind that even though you may not technically be in the watch, tornadoes sometimes happen outside those perfect little boxes. Be aware of that if you live around the watches.

Been a lot of talk about, it seems like it's been week after week after week we keep having the tornados and a lot of damage and a lot of fatalities associated with them. Put together a couple graphics to put this perspective for you. First off, as we take a look at this, the sources or the storm pro-prediction center and notice May, the month that we're in right there and we have the tall boxes. More tornadoes occur in the month of May than any other month and it has to do with the time of the year where we get the cool, dry air coming in from the west and we get the warm and moister coming in from the Gulf of Mexico so things really start kicking in the plain states and that was very indicative of what happened yesterday.

Now, between January and May, we tend to see 539 tornadoes. That's on average over the last three years. Check out what we've been doing here in 2008. We had 819. This is preliminary. So, we're way above last year and the year before and way above the average. So, yes, it's true. We are busier than we should be when it comes to tornadoes. But what's most shocking to me is when we looked into the number of deaths in the U.S. Average per year is 62. This is a whole calendar year, not just up to the point of May. So, look at the number down here as of 2008, as of May 11th, we had 97. So, we're way above average and not just for this part of the year but we're talking for the entire calendar year. Those numbers will end up being really, really high for 2008.

So, that's very shocking and one of the reasons why our numbers have been so high, too, by the way, Fredricka is the outbreak we had in February, if you remember from Super Tuesday, we had more than 50 fatalities from that one storm system alone. That is very early in the year to see a widespread super outbreak like that. That's a lot of the reasons why our numbers are so big. If you want to stay alive in a tornado. This is the best thing to do. Weather radios. Absolutely. If you don't have one, you need to have one. Every household will need that. This will wake you up in the middle of the night and alert you even if you don't have sirens around your area. This will knock you out of bed and you can get to a safe place before that tornado arrives.

WHITFIELD: Take advantage of that kind of warning and use that response time to your advantage.

JERAS: Every minute counts.

WHITFIELD: That is right. Great reminders, thanks so much, Jacqui.

Well, this is tornado season, as she just underscored and particularly in the south. The last couple weeks have been very intense just to underscore Jacqui's points there. Twisters hit Virginia and other mid- Atlantic states, late April and they hit the Mississippi Valley in early May with Arkansas suffering heavy damage and then just last week more tornadoes in the south and southeast. This surveillance video showing winds just tossing the cars around like they're nothing. That took place in Alabama.

John Hutchinson and his family road out one of the storms. They huddled in a closet of their home in Picher, Oklahoma a 20-mile stretch of the small town along the Kansas border was destroyed and John Hutchinson describes the family's heroin ordeal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN HUTCHINSON, TOTNADO SURVIVOR: That's the foundation of the house over there. We were right in the closet right over there on the left- hand side with the plastic pipe sticking up and that's where we -- there were five of us crowded in the closet there. Anyway, before it all happened we looked out the back door and seen it coming over the road and it was wider than a Chad pile and it was just roaring, you know.

Hard to describe the sound, but just like a huge, roaring wind and we all ran and got in the closet and got down on the floor and huddled up together and we weren't in there 30 seconds when it hit the house and then we felt it start to move. You know, you can just feel it move and then walls as it was moving, the walls started leaning back and scooting us and we ended up right there under that door or at least I was under the door and my wife and two granddaughters and my daughter were all there just bunched up against each other and my wife has, I think, a cracked rib and a bruised lung, but she's fine. And we're all fine. We lost everything, but we're all alive. I just believe god was watching over this house. Yeah.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): So what are you going to do now?

HUTCHINSON: We're going to stay with the family for now and we're just going to go on with our lives. Yeah. What else can you do? You know, we're not going to worry about these material things. We're just glad we're all alive and we got plenty of family to take care of us and we're not going to worry about it. It's going to be OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow, close call. They are lucky. The town enlisted the help of firefighters, in fact, from surrounding areas. They went house to house sifting through the rubble and searching for the survivors there in Picher, Oklahoma.

More stories from the storm. Mike Priest is a freelance journalist who toured Picher, Oklahoma this morning and he talked to our Betty Nguyen earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE PRIEST, FREELANCE JOURNALIST: You can see some people's pets have been were left behind and they're actually fighting over some food. One group of dogs had some meat they were found in some of the debris. We were escorted in before light this morning by the Oklahoma State Police and, of course, there's no power and it's completely dark and when we got in here and turned our lights on, this is what we found. Just total devastation.

Houses wiped all the way down to the foundation and you can see we're in a house that used to be -- this used to be a garage. That storm was incredibly strong right through here. We're right on the edge, you can see back over this way that you can see where the edge of the total damage is. There's a partial structure still standing there, but then here in the foreground you can see the foundation and see where this house has been completely leveled.

This hole right here that I'm showing you now is where this tree right over here came from, if I can get the shot. There we go. That tree that you saw there in the people's living room came from this hole right here. As you can see, there's a hot water tank over here at the base of this tree and it has sheet metal up in the tree wrapped around it. From right here the most interesting thing I can show you is this dresser in this house over here still has items on the dresser. And, yet, the house around it is almost completely gone. And over to the right behind this day bed you can see a cabinet that still has linens and what not in it and then no house around it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: More destruction in other parts of Oklahoma. Some towns so devastated that it's hard to believe that anyone made it out alive. Here now is our Keysom Dotson (ph) from our affiliate KJRH.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEYSOM DOTSON (ph), KJRH (voice over): This is what's left of powerful winds slamming into a window factory in McAllister. Scattered glass and final scraps are tossed and thrown across the property. Even the trailer of an 18-wheeler is pierced with flying debris. And Haywood the damage is much worse. A frame wood house is shredded to pieces. The owner's truck heavily damaged. Witnesses are still in disbelief.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): We were probably three or four miles as the crow flies back and we can see the tornado coming down out of the clouds.

DOTSON (ph): Afterwards, nothing is left untouched except for the lives of the people living here who escaped unharmed.

(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): It's just ripped roof and the doors off of it and looks like a dozer went across the road.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: CNN I-reporters are sharing their images of this devastating storm. Earlier I spoke with one of them, Marlon Douglas, well, he sent us some amazing storm footage taken near Missouri and he explains what he and others did after the storm blew by.

MARLON DOUGLA, IREPORTER: So many people trying to help. There was chaos but controlled chaos. Everybody got together and tried to say you go here and search for these people and go here and search for these people. The cops started coming and we hopped in his car and looked through homes and screaming and yelling. One guy, the house, the cars, he just put a storm shelter in his house two months ago. You just never know. They were OK. We didn't see any casualties or heard of any in our area. We heard of some later when we got to her aunt's shop. She has a convenient store and we saw all of the, you know, everybody was talking about the fatalities and just a group effort of people just trying their best to do what they can.

WHITFIELD: Your images are really telling and I can't imagine what it was like for you to see for the first time these vehicles, what appeared to be in one shot an SUV or maybe van turned it its side pushed up against another vehicle. When you saw something like that did you think to yourself, gosh am I dreaming? Is this real?

DOUGLAS: It's like a movie. We started looking through, just started realizing, hey, they're not home. Somebody came and said hey they're not home and you never know. People just happen not to be home and I know they had a lot of loss of life, but it could have been so much worse, you know, to see that devastation, could have been so much worse.

WHITFIELD: All right, that coming from an I-reporter and, of course, if you've seen any damage where you are, we want to see your images, as well. Photos, video, whatever you got. Just go to CNN.com on your computer and click on to I-report that icon there.

Meantime, politics straight ahead, Hillary Clinton polling well in West Virginia, ahead of Tuesday's primary, but there is some less super news for the senator in the latest delegate count. A live update on the Clinton/Obama battle straight ahead.

Plus, they do. First daughter Jenna Bush gets married at her parents' ranch. Details coming up in THE NEWSROOM.

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JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Jessica Yellin with the CNN Election Express in Charleston, West Virginia. We are coming to you here just two days ahead of the primary here. It's happening on Tuesday in this state. And we're actually coming to you from inside the bus because of all the extreme weather this state has been experiencing. Like so many places around this country. And I'm bringing you some news now, the flood of bad news for Hillary Clinton continues in CNN's count; Barack Obama has just caught up with Senator Clinton in her superdelegate count. The two are now tied with 273 superdelegates apiece. Clinton had 100 super delegates at the beginning of the year. He has narrowed that lead so quickly and the totals now show that Barack Obama has a total of 1,865 delegates overall. To Senator Clinton's 1,697.

And as we have been reporting for some time now, in fact since the Indiana, North Carolina primaries, Barack Obama is leading Senator Clinton by almost every measure in this race. But the primary here has some good tidings for Senator Clinton. The latest poll here in West Virginia shows her with an enormous lead. She is rating right now with 66 percent of West Virginia Democrats saying they plan to vote for Senator Clinton on Tuesday to Barack Obama's 23 percent that leaves 11 percent undecided and as the that's also good news for Senator Clinton because all the folks that say they're undecided at the very end, the majority of them tend to break for Senator Clinton. Now, West Virginia has 39 pledge delegates up for grabs on Tuesday, again, assigned Clinton sweep in this state, but the question is, is there any way that even a trouncing here would put her in a position to continue to compete with Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination. Senator Clinton showing no signs that she plans to get out of the race and, yet, there are no good indications that she could still win the nomination. But her campaign is powering on and she's in this state. She has been holding campaign events. We will bring you some of that in the next hour.

Also some sound from Barack Obama and, of course, you can expect to find all the highlights and all the details of primary West Virginia's primary developments on CNN on Tuesday night. Our primary night coverage starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Stay tuned to CNN on Tuesday night for all the coverage of the West Virginia primary.

I'll be back with you the next hour with sound from Clinton and Obama and after this break; we're going to continue our coverage of the extreme weather hitting the United States.

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SERGEANT STEVEN WILLIAMS: Hi, I'm Sergeant Steven Williams. I'd like to send a shout out to my mom and dad, Nancy and Don Williams. I would like to say happy Mother's Day to my mom. Love you guys, both of you and I hope to be home soon I'm here in southwest Asia getting a nice sun tan. Take care and I love you both. Bye.

WHITFIELD: Families across the country are celebrating Mother's Day, each in their own way. At the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, a ceremony honored the men and women who died for our country and the moms they left behind. Members of the Americans Gold Star Mother's Group were presented flowers there and cards made by school children from around the country.

And this timely or not so timely release from the Save the Children, the group just put out its index of the best and worst countries to be a mother. It looks at educational opportunities, medical care and other health issues. Sweden takes the top spot followed by Norway and Iceland. The U.S. ranks 27th out of 146 countries and at the bottom, the worst countries to be a mom, Niger, Chad and Yemen. A woman in Sweden can expect to live about 83 years and Niger just 45.

Well, many moms are out there this weekend celebrating their kid's college graduations. Well, Julie Shultz decided to join them on stage. The California mom picked up her own college degree, along with her son and her daughter. All three graduated from Liola (ph) in Los Angeles. Right there cute flowers around the hat. Congratulations and happy Mother's Day, Julie.

Well, America's first family is celebrating more than Mother's Day this weekend. Jenna Bush, the president and Mrs. Bush's daughter, Barbara, celebrating the marriage of Jenna Bush. Her marriage last night, the White House released photos of the wedding today. Our Elaine Quijano gives you a peek at the private ceremony.

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ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Against a background of a stunning Texas sunset near a lake on the Bush family 1,600 acre Crawford ranch President Bush walked his daughter, Jenna, down the aisle to her groom, Henry Hager.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S: My little girl Jenna married a really good guy, Henry Hager. The wedding was a spectacular, all we could have hoped for.

QUIJANO: The wedding party known in Texas as the house party wore colors reflecting the native Texas wild flowers. The 14 women in chiffon dresses by Dallas designer Lela rose while the 14 men wore suits and light blue ties. The bride in a white silk organza Oscar De La Renta gown and groom stood before a cross and alter made of Texas limestone. Bush family friend Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell of Houston officiated as the couple exchanged vows in front of some 200 family members and friends.

Afterwards under a tent nestled just beyond in a thick cluster of trees, dinner and dancing to the music of the band, the Tyrone Smith Review. Before departing for Washington, the first couple reflected on the moment.

BUSH: The vows were exchanged and the sunset over our lake and just a special day and a wonderful day and we're mighty blessed.

QUIJANO: The president will be leaving office in eight months and has said privately that he would like grandchildren sooner rather than later. A point he has already made to daughter, Jenna, as he considers life beyond the White House.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

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WHITFIELD: Death, destruction and survival. Severe weather packing killer tornadoes marches from Oklahoma to Georgia and the storm system might not be done yet.

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WHITFIELD: Grim news to report this Mothers Days the stormy spring of 2008 has claimed more lives and ravaged more communities. Reported tornados struck mortal blows in at least three states, the combined death toll in Missouri and Oklahoma stands at 21. One death reported in Georgia. It started early last evening in eastern Oklahoma where eight tornadoes have now been confirmed. By first light of the day most of the mining town lay in total ruin there in Oklahoma. Seven deaths are confirmed there and the twister was Oklahoma's most vicious in nearly a decade. President Bush addressed the disaster just before flying out of Texas.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S: We send our prayers to those who lost their lives and the families of those who lost their lives and the federal government will be moving hard to help. I'll be in touch with the governors.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Jacqui Jeras is in the Severe Weather Center. Boy, this has been a very rough spring. It's not over.

JERAS: No, it's not over. Today pails in comparison a little bit compared to yesterday, at least the afternoon hours anyway. But we still, every time you come to me, I have a new threat or a new warning and this time around, I have both of them. A big picture here and that's a new tornado watch has been issued here, which includes Virginia Beach on up towards the Norfolk area and down through the Outer Banks.