Daily Republican-Register from Mount Carmel, Illinois • 5

Monday, January 9, 1 989 Daily Republican-Register, Mt. Carmel, IL Page Five wisters ftermath "awful" in Allendale Governor asking for disaster relief impawn Cleanup has begun Tornado's path in Allendale is shown in this aerial DhotoaraDh. takerr to Wabash General Hospital with the first The extensive damage which depicts the path ern Wabash County Saturday night's twister took through the north- village. Approximately 50 injured victims were Other victims were taken to Vincennes or Evansville hopsitals. A total of 53 homes were destroyed.

IV I ALLENDALE, 111. (UPI) Work crews and dazed inhabitants, aided by National Guard troops, began salvage operations at first light Sunday in the Wabash valley town where a-nearly third of. the people were left homeless by a devastating, out-o(-season tornado. "It's pretty awful," Gov. James R.

Thomp-. son said Sunday after touring the southeastern Illinois area where the twister dropped out of the skies, skipped through two nearby counties and slammed into Allendale at 5:33 p.m. Saturday. There were no deaths, although five of the 50 injured residents were hospitalized in critical condition. "Luckily it was Saturday and a lot of people were out of their houses, or it would have been much worse," Thompson said.

Twenty-seven people remained hospitalized Sunday, he said. "We lbst one-third of ihe homes 53 destroyed, 28 severely damaged and 30 more affected. Nine businesses were destroyed," Thompson -said. "The really tough part of this one is the whole police department, fire department, city hall and school were leveled." Thompson said he would issue a state disaster declaration for the town of 450 people, located near the Illinois-Indiana border and the Wabash River, on Monday "and see if we qualify for federal aid." "The first point will be to put local government back into business so we can get local services restored. We've' also 'got to get the kids into neighboring schools tomorrow," the governor said.

"Fortunately, the Legislature will be in session and I'm sure we'll ask for supplemental appropriation Tor ESDA for the clean up." Damages estimated by town officials totaled at least $3 million. ESDA chief A quarter of the central business district was wiped out, said John Plunk, chief of operations for the Illinois Emergency Services and Disaster Agency. "It's a pretty severe impact for a community of this size," Plunk said. Many who rushed to the scene from as far as 60 miles away were struck by the limited human toll. "No one killed; it's unbelievable, really.

I was up there last night," said State Trooper Gary Nichels. "It lasted about a -minute, two minutes; I mean, it was just like they always say: it sounds like a roaring Irain," said Wabash' County Sheriff Randy Grounds. Mayor Jack Loeffler said.it was a "miracle" no one was killed. The tornado destroyed buildings in about 10 square blocks of Allendale. Police counted as many as 150 people- lsft homeless and taken to emergency, shelters.

"Our big problem now is just going through and cleaning up the mess tha.t's been made," said State Trooper Larry Garbo. Guard unit A unit of 125 National Guard troops took up positions early Sunday to stem minor instances of looting and assist in the recovery officials said. Axiother 150 guard personnel, most from- an engineering battalion, were called out later, officials said. 'The houses in the southern part of town were just completely demolished," said Stuart-Hawkins, of Mercy Ambulance in nearby Lawrence County. Also hit was Mill Sho- jls, in White County, where the twister first touched down at 5 p.m., and Albion in Edwards County, where golf ball-size hail fell.

Cars and semi-trailers along Interstate 64 Mill Shoals were damaged, police said. Three mobile homes were damaged at Albion but no injuries were reported. The off-season twister was spawned by a volatile mix of arctic cold air and unseasonably mild, near 70-degrce conditions that dominated southern- Illinois Saturday, said Bob Johns, of the National Severe Storms Forecasting Center. "We had a strong, low pressure system moving northeast, the same one that caused the snow in the Plains," Johns said. "When it hit the warm, moist air in the Midwest, it turned violent." intn II 1 -l 5 Vri Tremendous force Force of Saturday's tornado in Allendale -drove splintered wood into the side of the Jim Pierson residence, located down the street from First National Bank on the north" side of Main St.

The tornado swept through south part of the village, traveling in a northeastly direction, carrying debris out across open fields for hundreds of yards. arrivina at about fi n.m v.t- he saw Allendale in Feeling the losses Allendale resident Phyllis Bates, longtime Allendale Correspondent and also an advertising, sales representative for the Daily Republican Register, was among those who felt the losses. She and her husband Paul returned Sunday to begin reclaiming personal effects that survived although their brick home -adjacent to, Allendale School lost its roof and was heavily damaged by the storm. The Bates were not at home when the twister hit. Authorities attributed the fact that only 50 people sustained injuries in the disaster to the possibility that many were not at home at the early evening hour.

"i 111 Loeffler was on the Loeffler said he 1 1 III if 1 ft Editor's Note Today's coverage was made possible by a team operation of Daily Republican Register personnel. Newswoman Shcrrie Jackson was on the scene Saturday night under the perilous conditions as were DRR Society Editor Barb Smith and Production Supervisor Ben Dicus both of whonl assisted in the 'initial search and rescue operations for Photo coverage was provided Sunday by Ben Dicus, Shcrrie Jackson, DRR Newsman Larry Reynolds and DRR Editor Phil On Sunday Residents of Allendale worke'd feverishly Sunday trying to salvage what they could from-their homes. Many people found small keepsakes buried under the rubble but most of their belongings had been shattered and splintered. Mayor shocked Allendale's Mayor, Jack site Sunday morning. couldn't believe it when the light.

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