Joplin, Missouri was ripped apart by a violent F3* tornado last evening, and raw footage of the aftermath reveals tremendous devastation and a moment of hope amidst the chaos as a family dog is recovered.
Short of the recent Tsunami damage in Japan, this is perhaps some of the most dramatic natural disaster footage you’re likely to see. The St. John’s Regional Medical Center took a direct hit – you can see it in the background of the following video. As of late last night the death count was at 90 and was expected to rise.
Fortunately, less than a minute into this tough to watch clip, a heartwarming dog rescue occurs on camera. Pulled from the rubble just after the camera was turned on, the dog seems to shake the experience off before going for a brief walk; perhaps oblivious to the havoc around it, or, just as likely, stunned by the ruination of the world it once knew.
*estimated F3, unconfirmed
Note: as of last evening the sound cut out a few minutes into the video. It may or may not be restored, but no volume is required to comprehend the gravity of the situation, or the challenges the people and animals of the area will face as Joplin attempts to recover.
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