A 21-year-old emu named Adam was killed at Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri, after being struck by softball-sized hail during a historic storm. The emu, which was female despite the name, suffered fatal head trauma when it followed its natural instinct to lie down for cover during the severe weather on Tuesday.
A 17-year-old rhea bird named Oscar was also injured in the storm but is recovering with pain medication. Rhea birds are distant cousins of emus. All other animals at the zoo were unharmed, and the facility reopened on Thursday after workers cleared significant damage caused by the hail.
The zoo posted on Facebook that some small birds will remain off exhibit until skylights are repaired, adding: 'There is still much to be done, but please come visit.' Emergency management officials described the hailstorm as the worst in Springfield's history, with wind gusts reaching up to 70 miles per hour.
Nicolette Zangara, a spokesperson for the Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management, told The Associated Press: 'You could just tell from what we were seeing on radar that the hail was growing in size.' The storm also caused flight delays and cancellations at Springfield-Branson National Airport, damaged the city library, closed a Walmart, smashed windshields, and left 10,000 customers without power.
By Thursday, fewer than 250 customers remained without power, according to PowerOutage.US. Police warned residents to be cautious of door-knockers offering home repair services, urging them to research businesses before paying for repairs. Dry and cold weather is forecast through the weekend.
