Missouri Tornado Aerial Photo Shows Extent Of Destruction In Joplin

The single deadliest Tornado in the U.S. since 1950 tore through Joplin, Missouri this past weekend, tragically killing at least 122 people.

Devastating images of the twister's destruction have already spread across the Internet, as has a horrifying video shot from inside the heart of the storm. Now, an aerial photo from GeoEye reveals the massive extent of ruination left behind from the tornado.

From GeoEye:

This one-foot resolution, digital aerial image of Joplin, Missouri, was collected May 24, 2011 at approximately 9:30 a.m. The image shows the remains of Joplin High School, located at 21st and Indiana, just two days after a Level 5 tornado touched down on May 22, 2011 and destroyed most of the town.

Scroll down to follow the path of the tornado through Joplin, Missouri.

Click here to see how you can help relief efforts.

Aerial imagery courtesy of MJ Harden, a GeoEye Company.

Editor's note: This post originally stated the image was a satellite photo. This has been corrected to clarify that the photo is an aerial image, taken from 10,000 feet high, not from space.

Comments

[Abraxas Discala]

03:48 PM on 05/26/2011

Those of us who were sheltered from these storms are obligated to find and support the innovation forced by these tragedies – whether that innovation is in organizing charitable giving, or cross-sector partnerships that quadruple the bottom line.
This is the worst single tornado in more than 50 years. In the same span of time, we’ve invested extraordinary resources into technology and innovation. How does that innovation shine in the wake of this most recent series of disasters?

[MichelleRose]

11:08 PM on 05/25/2011

All I see are places to donate cash. Did we learn nothing from New Orleans? It took almost a year to find a way to get down there and lend helping hands, and people came by the droves to help and are STILL going.

[zsportsfan88]

04:33 PM on 05/25/2011

Yikes, that's really sad what happened in Joplin, Missouri. Here's a short video of what happened in the town next to Joplin, Duquesne, Missouri. http://bit.ly/mDjUsn

[Bruce Negron]

03:54 PM on 05/25/2011

Wow, we are ants. Terrifying...good luck rebuilding and god bless.

[RunOverDog]

02:26 PM on 05/25/2011

I grew up in Joplin, This Is Just UNREAL!

[Kome Chris-ukoko]

02:20 PM on 05/25/2011

http://scienceray.com/earth-sciences/meteorology/tornado-in-joplin/

great article with more info on the devastation and a video of the storm as it moved through the town.

My heart goes out to the people affected by the storm.