05
Feb
Prayer for Union University in light of tornadoes tonight
UPDATE: Got this off a weather site:
The storm flew up I40 to the NE producing intermittant damage, and then struck Jackson with another damaging tornado. Reports coming from that area are that there is significant damage at Union University where people are reported trapped in the women’s dormitories. The hospital is reported damage, numerous overturned vehicles in the area, and the Northside High School in the Oakhill area is reported damaged.
Further south more tornadoes have struck in Mississippi in LaFayette County with several homes reported destroyed along with two industrial buildings and a church. One injury reported there at this time.
Other tornadoes have caused damage back to the west in Arkansas as well. Details are still sketchy at this time.
And the severe weather is not even begun to be over yet. Still numerous tornado warnings still in effect, including another one headed in the Memphis direction, and a huge squall line to come through later to hamper rescue efforts across the area.
Among countless other towns spread out over several states who have lived through violent storms today, please be in prayer for my alma mater Union University in Jackson, Tennessee tonight. They were hit by either a tornado or severely strong winds (no official word yet).
We just got a call from family to let us know that my nephew David, a freshman at Union, was squirreled away for safety in a dorm building that had its entire roof lifted off and some sheet rock walls fell on the students. I cannot find anything else from official news sources yet to tell of injuries or death, but this is the same town that has been pummeled by tornadoes many times in the past.
February 5th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Union is also my alma mater, and I’ve been frantically trying to find info about the damage sustained. I still have a couple of friends on the faculty, and needless to say, I’m concerned. Praying hard for my second home tonight. There’s no place like Union.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I’m also an alum of Union. I have friends still in Jackson, and have received texts from some, while I’m still unable to get in touch with others as of yet.
From what I’ve heard so far, the roof was blown off of Jennings Hall. In Jackson, there has been one death, 10 injuries, and more are still trapped. It wasn’t made clear to me whether these stats were from Union alone, or the greater Jackson area.
February 5th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
I was a student at Union a year ago and have friends there, I have also heard that part of the roof of jennings came off. I was told around 55% of the dorms were destroyed and there are still students trapped. Almost all of the cars parked on campus were destroyed as well.