AP science writer Seth Borenstein spent months reporting the issue of tornado deaths in mobile homes and why they still happen despite being known and avoidable. With the help of data journalist Camille Fassett, they pored over NOAA’s data and uncovered that the problem of mobile home deaths during tornadoes was getting worse.
Reporter Michael Goldberg, photographer Gerald Herbert and video journalist Stephen Smith headed to Rolling Fork on multiple occasions, where a devastating tornado tore through earlier this year, developing relationships with those in the town and telling their stories in all formats.
The story garnered a lot of attention in tornado-affected states in particular, and Monica Allen, NOAA’s director of public affairs, called it “a fantastic, moving piece of journalism.” She added, “May this analysis showing an increase in deaths spur regulations at the state and national level to require safer homes for some of the most vulnerable people in our country.”