News of the Moore, Oklahoma, tornado hit close to home for residents of Joplin, Missouri, struck by a similar huge twister in May, 2011, two years ago. Television footage of the massive devastation in Moore "looks hauntingly familiar," Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr told Reuters in a story published on the Huffington Post ("Joplin Tornado Anniversary: Residents Haunted After Moore, Oklahoma Twister," by Kevin Murphy). "It brought back a lot of fear," said resident Sarah Jo Radcliffe. Said resident Wayne Logsdon: "It makes you want to sit down and cry."
But if Moore's experience is wrenching for residents of Joplin to see, Joplin's experience might bring hope to the citizens of Moore. Two years later, Joplin is firmly on the path to recovery, reports USA Today ("Progress continues 2 years after Joplin tornado," by Wes Johnson). "Block after block, new homes have risen, many on the bare foundations left behind after the May 22, 2011, storm," the paper reports. "New roofs — not twisted debris — mark the path of the storm through the heart of the city. A recent tour of the tornado's path revealed only a handful of structures with torn roofs or damaged walls."
"The tornado will forever be on our minds, but as a community, we're moving on," city school Superintendent C.J. Huff said. Said City Manager Mark Rohr: "We want people to know we're rebuilding our town, we're making it better. It's amazing what we've been able to do."
