Worry preceding arrival of severe weather in Cape Girardeau County

Cape Girardeau County emergency management officials are keeping their eyes to the sky while fielding calls from panicked residents fearing forecast storms.

After a tornado struck Joplin, Mo., Sunday killing more than 120 people, residents here are in a panic because the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch through 9 p.m. for all of Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and western Kentucky -- a strongly worded watch that says there's a high potential for a tornado outbreak in the region.

"It's almost reached a point of hysteria here," said Richard Knaup, Cape County Emergency Management director.

His office has been fielding calls all day from schools and businesses asking if they should close early.

"That's not a call I can make as an emergency manager," he said. "That's up to individual businesses. All I can do is quote what the National Weather Service has provided us."

He said rumors are circulating throughout the community, inciting more panic.

It was rumored that the City of Cape Girardeau dismissed its workers early, but that did not occur, according to the city manager's office.

Knaup doesn't want to downplay the threat of the storm, but said it should be treated just as any other storm warning.

He said the scale the National Weather Service uses, which rates storms 1 through 10, has caused some confusion among residents.

"We were at level 8 this morning, it's at a 9 now," Knaup said. "That just means there are certain ducks that have be in a row for bad weather and there are 9 ducks in a row. It doesn't mean there is a 90 percent chance of a tornado."

People should stay alert and stay up to date using a reliable news source, he said.

"As tornado sirens do sound, people should take action immediately," Knaup said.

Due to the severe weather forecast, Saint Francis Medical Center is on a heightened alert this afternoon, said Robert Grayhek, director of trauma and disaster services. Saint Francis is the only state-designated level III trauma center between St. Louis and Memphis.

Many mental health services providers said they've canceled appointments.

Some school districts in the region have closed early. Oak Ridge, which stopped its summer school early this afternoon in anticipation of severe weather.

Look for more reports if severe weather breaks out today at www.semissourian.com.