Deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history
Tornadoes are forecast across the South today. Here's a look at the 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, according to the NOAA.
Tornadoes are forecast across the South today in an unusual wave of bad weather in January. Here's a look at the 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, according to the NOAA.
Tornadoes are forecast across the South today in an unusual wave of bad weather in January. Here's a look at the 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, according to the NOAA.
10. Flint, Mich. (1953) -- Another EF5 tornado that killed 116 people -- including multiple family members of at least 20 families -- and injured 844.
9. New Richmond, Wis. (1899) -- This EF5 tornado generated a massive amount of flying debris, resulting in 117 deaths and 200 injuries.
8. Purvis, Miss. (1908) -- This EF4 tornado was reported to be two miles wide and hit parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. More than 700 were injured and 143 killed.
7. Joplin, Mo. (2011) -- The twister leveled homes and businesses and killed 161* people. *CNN and other news outlets have listed the death toll at 161; NOAA lists the toll at 158.
6. Woodward, Okla. (1947) -- More than 900 people in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas were injured by this EF5 twister, which left 181 dead.
5. Gainesville, Ga. (1936) -- This EF4 tornado -- actually a pair of twisters -- hit at the start of the work day, killing 203 people and injuring an estimated 1,600.
4. Tupelo, Miss. (1936) -- This twister leveled hundreds of homes and killed entire families. An estimated 700 were injured and 216 killed.
3. St. Louis (1896) -- Buildings and homes along the Mississippi River were swept away or damaged by this twister, which killed 255 and injured an estimated 1,000 people.
2. Natchez, Miss. (1840) -- An estimated 317 people died and 109 people were injured by this tornado, although the death toll was probably larger because slave deaths were likely not included.
1. Tri-State tornado (1925) -- This EF5 tornado killed 695 and injured more than 2,000 across Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. Records were set for both speed and path length.
