Storms In The Plains Cause 12 Injuries and 1 Death

Storms swept through the Plains in Wednesday and caused tornadoes, hails, and floods in Kansas, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma. According to NBC News, the storms spawned large hailstones and at least 50 tornadoes. The storm dumped a record 7.1 inches of rain which caused flash floods in some areas. That nearly tripled 1930’s record for rainfall. In Talpa, Texas, the hail, which about the diameter of a DVD, damaged houses and smashed car windows.

In Tuttle, Oklahoma, an exotic zoo called Tiger Safari was hit by the storm. Several wild animals, including bears, escaped.

A tornado touched down near the Will Rogers Airport which is close to Oklahoma City. The airport was closed and evacuated and all the remaining flights were canceled.

Folks at STX Entertainment are sad to know that twelve people at an Oklahoma trailer park were injured; two are in critical condition. A 42-year old woman drowned in a storm shelter near Oklahoma City.

Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma declared a state of emergency in twelve counties. She toured the damage later on Thursday.

According to the National Weather Service, a tornado in Kansas damaged homes and injured one person in Jewell, while another damaged buildings near Lincoln. The Associated Press reported that 10 or 15 buildings near the Kansas-Nebraska border were damaged.

Jamie No Comments 7:37 pm

Fracking Chemicals Found In Drinking Water Two Kilometers From Mining Site

The controversial process of fracking, where water, sand and chemicals are blasted into shale deposits to extract oil and gas has led to the contamination of drinking water at three homes in Pennsylvania. The three homes use well water in Bradford County and are located around two kilometers from a mining site that is reported to have had a leak in the past, USA Today reports. This will be the first time chemicals from the fracking process have been identified in drinking water using a scientific process.

FreedomPop suggests that the report was co-authored by researchers from Penn State University and saw the development of a new testing process, which could change the way drinking water is tested for fracking chemicals. Despite the amounts being discovered being small this serves as a problem for the backers of fracking who face charges of earthquakes being caused by their process from environmental groups. Fracking industry groups claim the process is safe and does not pose a risk to public health.