Thu, Nov 26 2009
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In Granby, about 20 miles to the east, the tornado leveled the hillside Neosho/Granby Seventh Day Adventist Church. Hours earlier, 21 congregants had gathered Saturday to worship the Sabbath.
“There was a divine hand at work,” said congregant Mike Roush, surrounded by fallen bricks, broken pews and other debris. And in Newtonia, the storm tore a hole through the roof of a Civil War-era mansion under consideration for designation as a national battlefield. Gov. Matt Blunt is expected to arrive in southwest Missouri to survey the damage later Monday. President Bush expressed his condolences to Blunt, said White House spokesman Blair Jones. “The federal government will be moving hard to help,” Bush said in a statement. Blunt’s administration activated the state’s emergency operations plan and ordered about 20 National Guard troops to patrol in Newtonia and Granby. Susie Stonner, spokeswoman for the State Emergency Management Agency, said it was unclear how many homes were damaged or destroyed. Newton County had initial estimates of 50 homes damaged or destroyed there, she said. The tornado was classified as EF3 and was approximately 300 yards wide, remaining on the ground for about 12 miles and 15 minutes as it traveled east. It hit the rural area about eight miles north of Seneca and went east, said Keith Stammer, director of emergency management in Jasper County. Next door to Roberts, Jane Lant climbed over the splintered wood to go through the mud-caked remains of her bridal shop. Next door, her husband’s feed store also lay in shambles. Bill Lant vowed he would rebuild the feed store. “I just feel so awful, going through this rubble when they are out looking for bodies,” she said as she motioned to the search dogs wandering the field behind her. A few miles down the road, Verda McKenna had gone into town for some groceries and supper when the tornado hit. She came home to find her mobile completely gone. 
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