Joplin, Mo

[Lightyear]

At least most homes in new england have basements - if you know it's coming you have a chance.  Here in south Texas, actually most of Texas, homes are build on slabs or on pier and beam.  Some folks do build with a basement in the pan handle - far north.

[Dave W]

One story I read said that most houses in Joplin don't have basements.

[Lightyear]

Huh, learn something every day.  I bet that these Kevlar boxes sell prettty good in Joplin now.

[Barklessdog]

The hardship continues with fungus - 3 people have died from this-
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-he-joplin-fungus-20110611,0,7589625.story

The more unusual variant — which has been affecting residents of Joplin — is the cutaneous form, in which fungal spores get under the skin. Experts believe that the tornado's 200 mph winds blew contaminated dirt and debris directly into victims' skin, or that it got into open wounds caused by flying debris. Symptoms include redness or inflammation, swelling, tenderness or pain, heat in the area of the wound and fever.

Treatment for both types typically involves surgical removal of dead tissue and intravenous infusion of the antifungal medication amphotericin. An oral drug called posaconazole is also used.

[sniper]

a little over 30 years ago, a company was demolishing the Conner hotel in Joplin. by using an explosive collapsing technique. they weakened the building too much and it collapsed on three workers killing two of them. following the collapse a couple of weeks later there was an outbreak of Histoplasmosis in town mainly due to an exposure to bird droppings. my guess would be this is similiar.