The Destructive Nature of Tornadoes


Everyone has heard terrifying stories of tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Have people ever paid attention to what scary and destructive things tornadoes can do? There have been many unforgettable moments brought by the worst tornadoes in the American Midwest.

Tornadoes hit many areas in the United States very frequently. Especially the tornados in April 1974, they hit many areas that were unprepared for this kind of disaster. 324 people lost their lives and hundreds got injured. In just eight hours, more than 100 tornadoes were occurring throughout Midwest states, such as Alabama, Georgia, Ontario, and more.

Brandenburg, Kentucky, was one of the many cities to have experienced a tornado fierce enough to kill through April 2nd to April 3rd, 1974, especially due to its location in the Tornado Alley. Brandenburg was a calm and slow-moving farming community working as usual when, in a matter of minutes, three-quarters of the town was demolished by the tornado. The terrifying destruction continued as houses, cars, and bodies went flying through the air and then smashed to the ground. Survivors collected what they could retrieve and then left forever. Rebuilding seemed impossible at this state, making the people of Brandenburg feel hopeless for their town.

In Xenia, Ohio, another tornado hit that same day. This time, a twister making a 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) path of destruction ruined churches, houses, and shops. 30 people were killed, 100 were injured, and thousands were left homeless. The high school’s auditorium roof flew off letting school buses be tossed in, where most students spend time at. Thankfully, it happened outside school hours, otherwise, more would have been injured and killed. The next day, another tornado had wiped the town of Guin, Alabama, off the ground as if it was a simple piece of paper. Reporters could not even contact the police department since it had also been destroyed along with the town.

In Sugar Valley, Georgia, a nine-year-old boy was playing outside when the tornado threw him off the ground and carried him 180 meters (200 yards) away before dropping him back to the floor. Surprisingly, he survived the fall. His mother, father, and two sisters died in the destruction of their home, making him the only survivor in his entire family.

Many parts of the United States were continuously hit in 1974 by powerful tornadoes. Even though many people think tornadoes are not as harmful as other natural disasters, they are actually the most violent storms in nature. Tornadoes come with a strong roar and, even though they only last about 15 minutes Their wind power can be as fast as to 480 kilometers (300 miles) an hour, which is four times faster than a hurricane's wind speed, making tornadoes more dangerous than many people would assume.

[Source: The World’s Greatest Disasters ]

no dumb – anderson , p (2022-03-03 10:12)
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