Tornado!

A tornado hit the barrio where we work in the Dominican Republic today.

In this photo you can see how half the roof is gone from T.E.A.R.S school.

It also tore off T.E.A.R.S staff members Rosemary and Obed's roof. Rosemary and their new baby boy, Zion, were in the house when it hit, but they got out in time. There is a photo in this post that shows the whole house, which contains four apartments. Obed and Rosemary are on the top floor.

Most of the staff is now in the barrio trying to protect the belongings that are left following the storm, as people are looting. Power lines are down, and with the water and debris, it's dangerous.

Update: One person has been reported killed by the storm, a vitim of flying debris. I've seen some you tube videos and photos of intense hail during and after the storm. It takes me back to the time when I was a kid in NY and a tornado leapt over our house. We were in the basement looking out at the winds swirling around us - we were right in the eye - and I remember the sound and look of the hail so vividly. It looked like it had snowed afterwards. I imagine it is quite a sight on a tropical island.