Joplin, Before & After
Last weekend was in Joplin, MO, and I took several photos of the tornado devastation while I was down there. It occurred to me that I could use Google Maps Street View to see versions of these photos before the tornado, so I have created the following set of paired photos to share.
I’ve matched the photos as closely as possible, though it was not always possible to match the same angle in Street View that some of my photos had. Furthermore, Street View uses a wider angle lens while I was shooting with zoom, so in some of my photos the background may seem closer/larger than the Google versions. Please keep these facts in mind while browsing these photos.
The devastation is unimaginable, and photos don’t even come close to conveying the scale of it. There are spots on 20th Street where you can look in every direction and see nothing but destruction all the way to the horizon. And, as you will see in some of these photos, the horizon has been greatly extended in some areas.
There’s already amazing signs of recovery. Temporary utility poles and lines have been installed. Temporary traffic lights and traffic signs, too. There’s even temporary cell towers in place. And, some buildings are already under construction.
If you decide to visit for yourself, please remember that people are mourning and trying to get their lives back together. Many areas are still dangerous, and many others are restricted. Stick to the main roads only — do not attempt to enter any residential neighborhoods. Don’t dawdle or block traffic. Don’t get in anyone’s way, and don’t touch anything that doesn’t belong to you.
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