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Entry tags:	breaking news, ciwn, pictures, springfield, springfield tornado, tornadoes, weather

CIWN TORNADO EMERGENCY UPDATE - pictures of damage
Pics from today's damage surveys. We had issues accessing several of the hardest hit areas today but will try to get additional pics over the next few days as the cleanup continues. We are safe tonight at a hotel in Springfield and have running water, power, and food. We may have to do some jumping around the next few days as most hotels locally are fully booked, but hopefully we will continue to have a place to stay until power is fully restored to our neighborhood. Estimates as of this evening put the time frame from anywhere from mid-late week due to the extensive destruction of the power infrastructure in our area. Initially 65,000 people were estimated without power last night after the tornadoes struck. Now the estimate is down to 12,000. Many of those may take some time to be restored due to the extensive number of power poles downed. CWLP has ordered 400+ power poles sent to the area and crews from surrounding states have been called in. Springfield City schools will again be closed on Tuesday as over half of the school bus fleet has suffered damage, one high school is being used as an emergency shelter, and at least a dozen schools remain without power. The governor declared the county, along with 5 others, state disaster areas today. Stay tuned.


Chatham Avenue Southbound (CWLP feeder lines and power poles downed)


Hucks Gas Station on Veterans Parkway


Jerome subdivision cleanup underway


Jerome village roadblock


North and Park Street intersection (hurricane like tree damage)


North Street (auto shop wall collapse)


North Street (tree wrapped into power pole)


North Street (strip mall roof torn off)


Park Street tree damage


Park Street tree damage


Park Street tree damage


Stanford Avenue Connector (Home City Ice building)


Stanford Avenue Connector


Stanford Ave/Wabash Ave/Mc Arthur Blvd intersection


Wabash and Mc Arthur roadblocks


Wabash Avenue / Jerome strip mall destruction


Wabash Avenue / Jerome strip mall destruction


Wal Mart Veterans Parkway


Wal Mart Veterans Parkway


Walgreens signage Veterans Parkway


Westchester Subdivision


WFMB studios microwave tower


WFMB studios