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Lost & Found

Photographs, documents and belongings carried miles by the storm, and where to return or claim them.

1 thing to know

Good to know

Photographs, documents and belongings carried by the storm

Tornado debris lands miles away. Found something with a name on it? There is almost certainly someone looking for it.

More detail

Tornadoes routinely carry paper, photographs and light belongings twenty to fifty miles downwind. After large tornadoes, volunteer groups have reunited thousands of photographs with families — often the only surviving images of people who have died.

If you find something:

Photograph it where it lies and note the location before moving it
Do not throw away anything with a name, a face or a signature on it
Post a clear photo to community Facebook groups, and to the regional "found photos" groups that form after every major tornado
Handle wet photographs gently. Do not let them dry in a stack — they fuse permanently. Separate them carefully, rinse gently in clean water, and air-dry face-up on a paper towel. If you cannot deal with them now, seal them in a plastic bag and freeze them; that stops the damage until you have time

If you have lost something: post a description in local groups, and check downwind — northeast of the damage path. It is worth asking. People find things weeks later.

Report found identity documents, wallets and firearms to local police rather than posting them publicly.

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Still stuck? Call 211 — free, confidential, 24 hours a day. Or search everything.