WOAY-TV (Oak Hill, WV): March 18th was the 100th anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado, a destructive tornado that broke many records that still stand today. Meteorologist Christian Boteler takes a look back at this historic event:
RECORD-BREAKING: The Tri-State Tornado was an F5 tornado that had wind speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour. It traveled 219 miles over three hours and 45 minutes, plowing through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. Both the distance and duration of this tornado are records that stand to this day. The twister killed 695 people across the three states as well, yet another record it still claims today.
The path of the twister affected over 19 communities, including a few towns that were almost or completely destroyed. Annapolis, MO was 90% destroyed while Biehle, MO was destroyed entirely from this twister, with each town recording 4 deaths each. Illinois was heavily impacted as well. Murphysboro, IL saw 234 deaths, a record for most deaths in a single community during a tornado, and thousands more were homeless. Parrish, IL recorded 148 deaths and over 500 homes destroyed when the twister tore through. Indiana also sustained damage at the tail end of the twister’s path, with Princeton, IA recorded 45 deaths and 115+ injuries.
The damage is astonishing, with entire towns being flattened and homes being reduced to rubble. At the top of the article is damage from Annapolis, MO showing a destroyed community with wood and debris scattered across. The image below shows a stretch of houses flattened in Murphysboro, IL. Even 100 years later, the Tri-State Tornado is the most dangerous tornado we have ever recorded.
