The Tri-State Tornado of March 18, 1925, was the most destructive twister known in American history. This F5 tornado started in Missouri, tore across southern Illinois, and finally dissipated in Indiana. It killed at least 695 persons, mostly in southern Illinois. Another 100 died in other tornadoes spawned by the same storm system. The small community of Murphysboro, Illinois, by itself had 234 fatalities. The tornado destroyed, among other things, nine schools (many of the fatalities were school children) and over 15,000 homes.
Most single tornadoes dissipate before they go five miles on the ground; reports of tornadoes with longer paths are usually found afterwards to have been based on a series of twisters. The Tri-State Tornado appears to have been a legitimate single tornado which traveled 234 miles. The funnel was so wide that most observors did not even recognize it as a tornado but thought it a bank of fog instead.
Looting and theft from the dead were rampart afterwards, much to the shame of decent Midwestern citizens.
For additional information on this disaster, please click here.
For additional information on this disaster, please click here.
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