Although at least 21 people died as the result of numerous tornadoes that ravaged North Carolina on Saturday, the death toll would have been worse if it were not for warnings by meteorologists and preparations by emergency-management officials.

Meteorologists with the National Weather Service and local television stations used Doppler and Viper radar and other equipment to track the storm system and the tornadoes it spawned as the front trekked from west to east Saturday. In most instances, they were able to issue timely warnings because they were receiving information in time for them to warn people to seek shelter.

Such warnings were rare 50 years ago and almost nonexistent 100 years ago.

We applaud those television meteorologists who provided minute-by-minute updates of developments and the system’s movements through the region. No doubt their warnings and updates saved lives.

We also applaud the emergency personnel who responded during Mother Nature’s assault on eastern North Carolina and in the aftermath of the numerous tornadoes that left death, injury and destruction in their wakes.

Knowing the storm system was coming, emergency crews prepared hours in advance of the storm system’s arrival. Emergency-response vehicles were topped off with fuel. Chainsaws were checked and double checked to make sure they were working properly. Extra medical supplies were loaded onto EMS vehicles. Power crews were put on stand-by.

Modern technology allowed emergency-response personnel to be forewarned of the impending dangers. By being forewarned, they were able to better prepare themselves for what they would face in the wake of the storm system.

As area residents recover from Saturday’s disaster, they are receiving help from local, state and federal government agencies. Western North Carolina Region Red Cross officials and disaster-recovery workers from the western part of the state are heading to the eastern part of the state to render assistance, with some of them already in the region.

The families who lost loved ones as a result of the storm system will be in our prayers. Despite the timely warnings and advanced preparations, lives were lost, and that is tragic. But without those warnings and preparations, the death toll from the storm system would have been worse.

We are grateful to those meteorologists and emergency-response personnel for doing their jobs and doing them well.

Sometimes that’s the difference between a tragic situation becoming a major catastrophe. They made such a difference Saturday.