Well, the last 96 hours have been nothing short of being edgy. After all, my life credits being made into a best seller or even a blockbuster. So my life turns out be over incidental in almost all aspects. Life in the Tornado Alley? How is it? How overwhelming or exciting is it???? Well, the one word answer would be : Adventurous.
Adventures do have their dangers and not to forget all the thrills. But I guess, after having met death in the eye once, then the fear of death decreases a lot. And death has been kind to me, not once, but a few times,and all the encounters are quite fresh in my memory. From my car being fired at, by Maoists in war torn Lalgarh, or having a truck hit my car on the EM Bypass in Kolkata, yes, I survived it all. All in one piece. All these misadventures prepared me well, for life in the Tornado Alley.
Wikipedia defines Tornado Alley as the location where the strongest tornadoes occur most frequently and was first coined by Jennifer L. Wiley in 1904. The core of Tornado Alley consists of the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, eastern South Dakota , and the Colorado Eastern Plains. And Kansas is one of the states in the Alley, which usually receives a record breaking number of tornadoes.
When I reconnected with my teenage love, after almost a decade, the first thing he told me that he was currently based in Kansas City. That rang two bells in my head, as I continued the cross continental chatter. Firstly, the Tornado Alley, and secondly my Mashi. My Mashi had made Kansas City her home for many many years, so that came as a reassurance to me. The conversations carried on, and renewed love affair led to marriage this time. The Visa officer at the American Consulate in Kolkata, reminded me of the Wizard of OZ, on hearing that I was headed to Kansas. The Tornado connect had begun.
I had heard stories of how the sirens go on before the tornado is about to strike nay area, done enough of reading, and felt I was prepared if I had to make a dash for the basement. This Summer began with a bang. It was Tornado time, after being a no show almost for the last few years. We were on a call to Kolkata, when the first round of sirens started going on, on Sunday night. Deb casually mentioned to me, that probably it means a tornado is headed our way. We had not taken it too seriously, but decided to cue up to the developments in the idiot box.
When it was alerts all across, with specific timings of when it was supposed to hit our neighborhood, then I guess we realised how serious the situation was. It was almost 10.30 pm, and the tornado was supposed to strike our neighborhood in exactly an hour. A mad rush almost. Packing a few essentials, and the valuables in two back packs, along with our laptops. Giving the pajamas a miss for denims and jackets, we headed off. One is supposed to wear thicker clothes and covered shoes, while taking shelter in a basement, to save oneself from the flying debris. No we didnt go to the basement. Guess we are super smart. We went off to one of Deb's colleague's apartments, nearby, and thought of spending time in their basement. It was a crazy adrenaline rush. We stood at the entrance of the basement, waiting to run inside, if we felt we were being struck. Now that I look back, it was really a foolish thing to do. Luckily, the tornado changed its course, and spared us, just ten minutes before the scheduled touchdown.
We were saved for the day. But the people in Joplin, Missouri, were not that lucky. The very same Tornado ripped across the town, and all thats left of the town, looks like a large garbage dump. 7000 Houses have been razed to the ground, 1600 people are still unaccounted for, and 122 people are confirmed dead. Yes, its the very same Tornado which we were not taking seriously, had created havoc in a town close by. To think, the same could have happened to us.
Monday was seemingly a calm day, but it came with the warning that Tuesday was on Tornado Watch, from 9 pm to 2 am. This time around we were better prepared and took the warning seriously. The images from Joplin were too fresh in our minds, and the thought that it could have happened to us, kept haunting us. Bags were packed with essentials and valuable, clothes kept ready, and we were glued to the television and internet alerts, come Tuesday evening.Oklahoma City, this time bore the brunt and yet again Kansas was spared. It was just a crazy thunderstorm for us. finally we breathed a sigh of relief when the watch was lifted at around 2.15 am.
Wednesday was a bright and sunny day, and Deb had left for work. Suddenly I got a call from him, that our neighbourhood was under Tornado Alert for the next few hours. Wasnt the weather supposed to be clear today?! Within minutes the sirens started off all across. The weather forecasters on television again gave a detailed timeline of tornadic activity, and advised people to head to their nearby shelter. This time I was alone. Gathered up my guts, along with the bags, dressed appropiately, and headed to the basement. Half of the apartment was already downstairs, and the second half joined us soon. From 70 year olds, to infants,we were all togther, huddled in one room, far away from the glass windows. Phone lines were getting jammed, Deb tried his best to communicate throughout. Then someone reported a touchdown just around three miles away from our apartment. It was quite shocking.But the tornado was not strong enough, so could not go further. Spent almost two hours at the basement with a motley group of people. From bible recitations, to crying babies, to barking pooches, it was a crazy time. Just when it cleared out for us, Deb said, they had been evacuated to the basement of their office, the tornado was now headed their way. It was the worst of tense moments. But luckily we were saved again,although there were six reported touchdowns in Kansas City.This time it was Sedalia, in Missouri which bore the worst brunt, as the Tornado had finally gained momentum when it reached there. Pictures of massive destruction flooded the eyes again.
So every morning when we wake up in the Tornado Alley, we really dont know whats going to happen during the rest of the day. Thunderstorms forming super cells, leading to tornadoes are the order of the day for the next month at least. And this is an annual phenomena. So living life in the Tornado Alley is after one of the biggest adventures.
Adventures do have their dangers and not to forget all the thrills. But I guess, after having met death in the eye once, then the fear of death decreases a lot. And death has been kind to me, not once, but a few times,and all the encounters are quite fresh in my memory. From my car being fired at, by Maoists in war torn Lalgarh, or having a truck hit my car on the EM Bypass in Kolkata, yes, I survived it all. All in one piece. All these misadventures prepared me well, for life in the Tornado Alley.
Wikipedia defines Tornado Alley as the location where the strongest tornadoes occur most frequently and was first coined by Jennifer L. Wiley in 1904. The core of Tornado Alley consists of the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, eastern South Dakota , and the Colorado Eastern Plains. And Kansas is one of the states in the Alley, which usually receives a record breaking number of tornadoes.
When I reconnected with my teenage love, after almost a decade, the first thing he told me that he was currently based in Kansas City. That rang two bells in my head, as I continued the cross continental chatter. Firstly, the Tornado Alley, and secondly my Mashi. My Mashi had made Kansas City her home for many many years, so that came as a reassurance to me. The conversations carried on, and renewed love affair led to marriage this time. The Visa officer at the American Consulate in Kolkata, reminded me of the Wizard of OZ, on hearing that I was headed to Kansas. The Tornado connect had begun.
I had heard stories of how the sirens go on before the tornado is about to strike nay area, done enough of reading, and felt I was prepared if I had to make a dash for the basement. This Summer began with a bang. It was Tornado time, after being a no show almost for the last few years. We were on a call to Kolkata, when the first round of sirens started going on, on Sunday night. Deb casually mentioned to me, that probably it means a tornado is headed our way. We had not taken it too seriously, but decided to cue up to the developments in the idiot box.
When it was alerts all across, with specific timings of when it was supposed to hit our neighborhood, then I guess we realised how serious the situation was. It was almost 10.30 pm, and the tornado was supposed to strike our neighborhood in exactly an hour. A mad rush almost. Packing a few essentials, and the valuables in two back packs, along with our laptops. Giving the pajamas a miss for denims and jackets, we headed off. One is supposed to wear thicker clothes and covered shoes, while taking shelter in a basement, to save oneself from the flying debris. No we didnt go to the basement. Guess we are super smart. We went off to one of Deb's colleague's apartments, nearby, and thought of spending time in their basement. It was a crazy adrenaline rush. We stood at the entrance of the basement, waiting to run inside, if we felt we were being struck. Now that I look back, it was really a foolish thing to do. Luckily, the tornado changed its course, and spared us, just ten minutes before the scheduled touchdown.
We were saved for the day. But the people in Joplin, Missouri, were not that lucky. The very same Tornado ripped across the town, and all thats left of the town, looks like a large garbage dump. 7000 Houses have been razed to the ground, 1600 people are still unaccounted for, and 122 people are confirmed dead. Yes, its the very same Tornado which we were not taking seriously, had created havoc in a town close by. To think, the same could have happened to us.
Monday was seemingly a calm day, but it came with the warning that Tuesday was on Tornado Watch, from 9 pm to 2 am. This time around we were better prepared and took the warning seriously. The images from Joplin were too fresh in our minds, and the thought that it could have happened to us, kept haunting us. Bags were packed with essentials and valuable, clothes kept ready, and we were glued to the television and internet alerts, come Tuesday evening.Oklahoma City, this time bore the brunt and yet again Kansas was spared. It was just a crazy thunderstorm for us. finally we breathed a sigh of relief when the watch was lifted at around 2.15 am.
Wednesday was a bright and sunny day, and Deb had left for work. Suddenly I got a call from him, that our neighbourhood was under Tornado Alert for the next few hours. Wasnt the weather supposed to be clear today?! Within minutes the sirens started off all across. The weather forecasters on television again gave a detailed timeline of tornadic activity, and advised people to head to their nearby shelter. This time I was alone. Gathered up my guts, along with the bags, dressed appropiately, and headed to the basement. Half of the apartment was already downstairs, and the second half joined us soon. From 70 year olds, to infants,we were all togther, huddled in one room, far away from the glass windows. Phone lines were getting jammed, Deb tried his best to communicate throughout. Then someone reported a touchdown just around three miles away from our apartment. It was quite shocking.But the tornado was not strong enough, so could not go further. Spent almost two hours at the basement with a motley group of people. From bible recitations, to crying babies, to barking pooches, it was a crazy time. Just when it cleared out for us, Deb said, they had been evacuated to the basement of their office, the tornado was now headed their way. It was the worst of tense moments. But luckily we were saved again,although there were six reported touchdowns in Kansas City.This time it was Sedalia, in Missouri which bore the worst brunt, as the Tornado had finally gained momentum when it reached there. Pictures of massive destruction flooded the eyes again.
So every morning when we wake up in the Tornado Alley, we really dont know whats going to happen during the rest of the day. Thunderstorms forming super cells, leading to tornadoes are the order of the day for the next month at least. And this is an annual phenomena. So living life in the Tornado Alley is after one of the biggest adventures.
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