Case Study of the 1925 Tri State Tornado

The deadliest tornado in United States history and the fastest F5 tornado ever classified by the Fujita system struck on March 18, 1925. Originating in the central portion of the country - in the state of Missouri - the tornado quickly moved northwest in Illinois and then into southwestern Indiana, thus termed "Tri-State." The tornado was actually spawned from a larger tornado outbreak which produced several deadly tornados in Tennessee, Indian and Northwestern Kentucky.

One of the more interesting natural facets of this particular tornado was the tremendously powerful downburst winds that were generated throughout the full extent of the tornado’s path. This burst coupled with the actual tornado winds amplified the damage zone from .75 square mile to 3 square miles at a time.

Consequences

This tornado alone killed a confirmed 695 individuals, twice as many as the second deadliest tornado in the nation’s history.  The storm destroyed over 15,000 houses and caused almost US$16.5 million at the time in damages, which amounts to the staggering figure of US$1.4 billion when adjusted now for inflation. At the time, the most surprising and awing characteristic of this tornado was how even deft and hardy farmers who had weathered many other tornados were damaged by this natural phenomena.

Citizen Response

As many of the citizens living in the “Midwest” region of the United States were accustomed to tornados and powerful winds, this particular tornado was not given much credence when reports first arrived of its presence in central Ellington, Missouri. As the tornado spread though, people saw the unimaginable speed at which the winds spun and abandoned all previous training and experiences, fleeing their safer houses. Thus, many of the deaths incurred as a result of the tornado were simply due to the paranoia citizens experienced having never been a member of such dramatic proceedings.

Government Response

Although this disaster happened in what is considered a different, less developed era, the minimal government response in this situation lends a stark warning to all officials in tornado prone regions. With no authorities deployed immediately after the tornado hit various townships, looting and theft were rampant for days following the winds and a general atmosphere of chaos was prevalent. Additionally, after the tornado system had completely passed, bureaucratic limitations hindered government response for nearly one week, leaving victims unprotected, unsupported and in destitute.

Ultimately, this tornado shows the potential a powerful windstorm has to truly devastate any region.  If this tornado occurred in a major city like Chicago or Dallas, with the same government response, millions would have died. Thus, in such an instance, the most critical response is speedy and expeditious deploying of officials and medical personnel.

Sources Consulted

Sources

  • Felknor, Peter S. The Tri-State Tornado : the Story of America's Greatest Tornado Disaster . Iuniverse, 2004.
  • "Tri-State Tornado." Wikipedia. 16 Mar. 2006. 11 Mar. 2006 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-State_Tornado>.
  • Johns, Robert. "The Tri State Tornado of 18 March 1925: a Re-Examination of the Damage Path with Preliminary Results." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. 3 Mar. 2006. University of Oklahoma. 14 Mar. 2006 <http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/seminars/abs/johns.html>.