The Woodward Tornado wreaked havoc across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas on April 9, 1947. The 1925 "Tri-State" Tornado across the Midwest. The 10 Worst Tornadoes in the U.S. politics,history,tornadoes,worst tornadoes in america,disasters,natural disasters,palm sunday,deep south,super outbreak,flint worcester,tupelo,gainesville,tri state,top 10,WatchMojo, deadliest tornadoes in us,deadliest tornadoes in america,deadliest tornadoes,tornadoes,deadliest tornadoes ever,tornadoes in . This ranking shows the ten deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, ranked by the death toll of their victims. The storm packed winds in excess of 200 mph and was on the ground for more than 22 miles. In an era without television, watches or warnings, news traveled by word of mouth or from the local newspaper, an especially frightening thought given the speed of movement of this tornado. At that time, there was no effective storm prediction center, and people were taken by surprise. 4. Nearly 9,000 buildings were damaged or completely destroyed. First, the death toll was double that of the next deadliest U.S. tornado (Natchez, Miss. At least 19 separate communities were affected. and Parrish, Ill. were destroyed. The disaster devastated almost a third of the city, completely destroying 2,000 buildings and seriously damaging another 8,000 buildings. The tornados struck the southwest part of the town before moving into the commercial district, according to the Digital Library of Georgia. Table of Contents show. Please try another search. The costliest U.S. catastrophe involving tornadoes occurred in August 2020 during a multi-day outbreak that included the August 10 Midwest Deracho . 3. A story written by the Associated Press (AP) the day after described it as "four terrible minutes of a ripping and roaring tornado. The Tri-State Tornado killed 695 people and injured 2,027, traveling more than 300 miles through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana on March 18, 1925. Some survivors had to wait up to 14 hours to be rescued from the rubble. Know where the nearest shelter is. 9. In total, the Bridge Creek-Moore Tornado destroyed and estimated 1,800 homes, damaged about 2,500 homes, which amounted to about $1 billion in damage. Louis Public Library Archives, J.C. Strauss). The second deadliest tornado in Texas killed 114 persons,the same as Waco, but is rated number two since with 250 injuries, it injured fewer people. The 1896 St. Louis Tornado tore away some 300 feet of the structure of the Eads Bridge. HONORABLE MENTION - THE LUBBOCK TORNADO - MAY 11, 1970. 6. 1. Tornadoes kill an average of 60 people a year in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 5. Missouri has seen the highest number of tornadoes in 2006, where 102 tornadoes hit the state. 2. Damaged cars at Sikes Senter Mall in Wichita Falls, Texas on Apr. Here are the 10 deadliest tornadoes to ever hit the U.S., per NOAA: 1. All Rights Reserved. The 255 official fatalities make this the third deadliest single tornado in U.S. history, behind only the Natchez, Miss. Given the more recent devastation we've witnessed in Joplin, Missouri, and Tuscaloosa, Alabama, it's hard to fathom anything worse. It continued northeast from Wichita Falls, past the Red River and into Oklahoma where it dissipated north of Waurika. Here's a look at some of the worst tornadoes in U.S. history based on reported death toll estimates from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: The "Flint Tornado" claimed more than 100 lives and injured some 844 people on June 8, 1953. One of the most infamous of Texas Tornadoes, this huge F4 first touched down about 3 miles northeast of Holliday, a town lying southwest of Wichita Falls, where it damaged homes and businesses. Most of these deaths were among the parents and grandparents who shielded children from the debris with their bodies. The 10 worst states for tornadoes in America. Tornadoes can happen any time of the year if conditions are right, but there are distinct seasons for twisters in different parts of the county, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center. At times it was a mile and a 1/2 wide. The Top Ten Reasons Not To Visit Montana, EVER. The worst tornado in recent history struck near Oklahoma City in May 1999 with unprecedented winds in excess of 300 mph that killed 36 people. The fourth deadliest tornado in Texas history also moved through western Oklahoma and dissipated near St. Leo, Kansas. The collapse and fire of the Cooper Pants factory killed dozens. Welcome to. TORNADO NUMBER TEN - THE JARRELL TORNADO - MAY 27, 1997. Given the large number of victims, this storm is considered the deadliest tornado ever recorded in the United States. In 1969, when the city of Dhaka was still under the jurisdiction of Pakistan and not Bangladesh, a terrible tornado swept through its densely populated suburb in the northeast. Vehicles were damaged at a Ford Motor plant, and both commercial and military aircraft were damaged at airports. In fact, the parent supercell was tracked for over 7 hours from its formation in Newton County, Mississippi, to its final demise in Macon County, North Carolina, a distance of around 380 miles. Alabama suffers around 250 deaths. Death counts for events in the 1800s and early 1900s should be treated as estimates, since recordkeeping of tornado deaths was erratic back then. Source: Storm Prediction Center at the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Over 8,800 buildings were either damaged or destroyed. "Much of the central portion of St. Louis was also destroyed, as were factories, saloons, hospitals, mills, railroad yards, and churches throughout the city. Deadly, destructive tornadoes are not simply confined to the Midwest and South. 8. Some debris was swept miles away, including a frozen mattress found near Weymouth in Massachusetts Bay as well as books and clothing found at both Blue Hill and on outer Cape Cod. This death toll may be forever underestimated, as fatalities from slaves were not counted in that era. In addition, a very fast-moving tornado at times had an unusual appearance. NOTE: Having happened before the era of comprehensive damage surveys, some of these events may have been composed of multiple tornadoes along a damage path. NUMBER THREE - THE ROCKSPRINGS TORNADO - APRIL 12, 1927. Speaking of 2011, let's visit perhaps the most infamous tornado of the April 27 "Superoutbreak" next. The same AP story cited above mentioned "some of the city's finest homes along Lindell Boulevardwere laid waste.". March 18, 1925, in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. This massive tornado moved from Tower Grove Park into Downtown St. Louis, then crossed the Mississippi River and carved through E. St. Louis, on May 27, 1896. After an 1871 tornado damaged its superstructure on its eastern abutment, the bridge was rebuilt to be "tornado-proof". One of two billion-dollar tornadoes from the April 27, 2011 "Superoutbreak" took aim on the town of Hackleburg, Alabama (population: 1430). The states with the highest totals . The 1840 "Natchez Tornado" in Mississippi, The tornado started in Concordia Parish, La., and killed hundreds of people on boats and barges in the Mississippi River before striking Natchez, Miss. "With its rapid movement, monstrous size, and long track, the tornado took hundreds of lives and injured thousands," according to the NWS. Tri-State Tornado of 1925, also called the Great Tri-State Tornado, tornado the deadliest in U.S. history, traveled from southeastern Missouri through southern Illinois and into southwestern Indiana on March 18, 1925. Due to data quality issues in the 1920s, it hardly seems possible a tornado could churn over a 219-mile long path. The storms first hit the small town of Glazier in Texas. 310 deaths - April 3, 1974 - The original "Super Outbreak":The largest tornado outbreak on record before 2011 claims 310 lives as 148 confirmed tornadoes over a 24-hour period rage across 13 US states. The storm left only seven houses intact in Purvis, Mississippi, and also caused damage in Amite, Louisiana. The rankings are based on fatality statistics and damage costs. The 1947 "Woodward Tornado" in Texas and Oklahoma. In addition to the residential dwellings mentioned above in "fast facts", more than 500 businesses were affected, impacting between 4,500 and 5,000 employees. Many people were killed and injured, but the exact number remains unknown. Oklahoma Oklahoma is the state with third highest frequency of tornadoes. "By all means, the Tri-State Tornado was a rare eventan event that few people will ever experience in their lifetime.". A view of the damaged Woodward County Courthouse building in Woodward, Okla. after the deadly tornado on April 9, 1947. The video above shows the destruction at Assumption College (now Quinsigamond Community College). Take control of your data. If you notice such unusual weather conditions as the dark or green sky, low-lying clouds, roaring sounds, or large hail, take cover immediately. However, the actual number of killed people could be much higher, because the death of slaves was not included in the official records. Among the numerous buildings destroyed by the EF4 tornado were the Tuscaloosa County Emergency Operations Center and Alberta Elementary School. Then, picture Natchez as a bustling river port city, with flatboats galore. from the Sep. 29, 1927 tornado. You may be surprised to find that the April 3, 1974 "Superoutbreak" did not have a single tornado on the list. On average, tornadoes are responsible for 1,265 injuries and 110 f 220 deaths - April 24, 1908 - Dixie tornado outbreak:Dozens of twisters stretching from South Dakota to Texas leave 220 dead. Rounding out the top five states most affected by hurricanes is South Carolina, which accounts for about 10% of all hurricanes in the US or 31 hurricanes in total. 3. With 317 killed, this is the second deadliest tornado in U.S. history. On average, tornadoes are responsible for 1,265 injuries and 110 f Top Ten Deadliest Tornadoes in Texas (since 1900) NUMBER ONE - THE WACO TORNADO - MAY 11, 1953 The deadliest tornado in Texas history struck shortly after 4 pm on the day after Mother's Day in 1953. The nearly-flattened Union Depot Railway Company in St. Louis, Mo. This disaster took place on April 6, 1936. Crossing into Wichita Falls, it severely damaged Memorial Stadium, followed by Mc Neil Junior High, and then entered the residential part of the city. We begin our top ten list with a pair of notorious Lone Star State tornadoes. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "There is a general northward shift in "tornado season" in the U. S. from late winter through mid-summer," the SPC says. "This tornado didn't discriminate against anybody in its path, even if they were trying to be safe," Beshear told "Face the Nation" on Sunday, saying the dead included a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old. Mississippi is a massive bucket with everything except for anything good. Buildings collapsed as the central business district was almost entirely leveled, including the county courthouse. The "Gateway to the West" has an infamous tornadic history. 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