News: Clark Co. - Tornado Damage Being Assessed (Aug - 2011)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: None

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/31/2011

Damage From Tornado Being Assessed (Aug - 2011)

By Tony Opelt

Damage assessments continued today in West Central Wisconsin following the tornadoes and severe storms from Tuesday, Aug. 23.

In Clark County, officials say a power outage caused by the storms contributed but was not the sole factor in the death of a hospice patient. In addition, officials say two people suffered minor injuries.

Clark County Emergency Management reports four homes were destroyed, two sustained major damage and 17 received minor damage. In addition, four barns and 15 outbuildings were destroyed with numerous others damaged.

The National Weather Service surveyed the area impacted in Clark County and confirmed the Tornado near Chili was a “high end” EF2 with winds of 135 mph. The tornado touched down around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday night about seven miles northwest of Chili. The tornado was about 200 yards in width and raveled a little over seven miles northwest before ending near the Clark/Wood County line. The NWS also surveyed an area near Neillsville where strong winds damaged some structures.

Strong winds occurred in Calumet County, damaging a few buildings, while a brief EFO tornado touched down around 7 p.m. in Shawano County, causing only tree damage.

And the following in same paper by same writer. DMK

Red Cross Responds to Tornadoes in Clark and Wood Counties

By Tony Opelt

Following several storms in Clark and Wood Counties the evening of Aug. 23, the Red Cross responded, providing those in need with immediate emergency assistance.

Red Cross caseworkers worked with four families affected by the storms. Caseworkers provided the families with shelter, food, clothing and other immediately needed items. Red Cross workers will continue to support these families as they begin the road to recovery.

Those interested in providing disaster relief following storms of this severity or other disasters around the country should contact Kayla Schmidt for more information about becoming a Disaster Action Team (DAT) volunteer. Schmidt can be reached by calling 715-344-4052.

The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors across the street, across the country and across the world in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new – the more than half a million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross.