This summer has seen a number of disasters already, and on Monday July 26, the deadliest tornado in Montana since 1923 can be added to the list. According to the National Weather Service, an F3 tornado touched down in Sheridan County at approximately 7:15 p.m. (MDT) where it claimed two lives and left one woman in serious condition.
Barbara Smith, 71, was found in the basement of her demolished home with unknown injuries and was taken to a hospital in Billings, Mont. where she is listed as being in serious condition. Sadly, her nephew Steven D. Smith, 46, and grandson Robert Richardson, 10, suffered blunt-force head and chest injuries, and were found dead at the scene. Aside from a few minor injuries sustained by responders, no other injuries attributable to the storm have been reported.
The storm not only left a number of families in shambles, but it also demolished the buildings on the Smith Ranch, including the family's home. EMS and fire agencies from across the area joined family members and neighbors in a hazardous and difficult search operation through the wreckage. Sheridan County Sheriff Pat Ulrickson stated, "I've never seen anything like this before. The destruction is just indescribable. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Smith family today."
On Tuesday, July 27, 2010 officials from Sheridan County, Montana Disaster and Emergency Services, and the National Weather Service in Glasgow conducted a damage assessment. The tornadic winds, which were estimated to have reached speeds of 150 miles per hour at the Smith Ranch, caused significant property damage, beginning with a two-story house that was flattened, a single-wide trailer that was blown away, and numerous outbuildings and ranch vehicles that were destroyed. Another unoccupied farm house was pushed off its foundation and the barn flattened. The assessment also reported livestock and crop losses, including approximately 20 cows killed or seriously injured.
The tornado didn't stop at the property limits, though. It also ripped the deck off a county bridge over Wolf Creek, and left buildings all along its path without power, and in some cases, roofs. While preliminary P&C loss figures have yet to be reported, with this tornado being one of the worst in the state's history, the figures are bound to be substantial. In the meantime, though, let's hope that this severe weather remains a rare occurrence.
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