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Public Information Statement

National Weather Service Wichita KS

600 AM CDT Thu May 22 2025



...ON THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY...



In 2011, the catastrophic Joplin Tornado roared into

history.  The EF5 tornado killed 158, the seventh

deadliest in United States history and the deadliest

since the Southern Plains Tri-State Tornado of April 9th,

1947 that killed 181.  The tornado's track was 22 miles

long, reached one mile wide and lasted 38 minutes.  The

worst destruction was to Saint John's Medical Center,

where 6 were killed, and to Joplin High School.  Many

houses were leveled or swept from their foundations. 

Damage estimates were around $2.8 billion.  An estimated

1,000 were injured.  In 2004, the widest tornado to that

date hit Hallam Nebraska, 25 miles southwest of Lincoln. 

The giant F4 reached an astounding 2.5 MILES WIDE along a

track that was 54 miles long.  The tornado lasted one

HOUR AND 20 MINUTES.  Two schools were hit, buses were

tossed, homes were leveled, and a freight train was

thrown.  Surprisingly there was only one fatality, but 37

were injured.  It was the widest tornado on record until

May 31st, 2013, when it was edged out by the giant 2.6

mile wide EF5 El Reno Oklahoma Tornado.  



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In 1987, tragedy struck Saragosa Texas when a violent F4

tornado struck the small, far West Texas town.	Of the

183 residents, 30 were killed and 121 were injured.  The

tornado's track was only 3 miles long but was nearly two

thirds of a mile wide.	Of the 30 fatalities, 22 occurred

at a graduation ceremony for "Head Start" children. 

Damage totaled $1.3 million.  Saragosa is located about

120 miles southwest of Midland.  In 1960, the most

powerful earthquake in history erupted approximately 100

miles off the coast of Chile directly west of Valdivia. 

The ultra mega-thrust earthquake registered a moment

magnitude of 9.5 but was preceded by very powerful

earthquakes on the 21st that had magnitudes reaching as

high as 7.9 that devastated Concepcion.  The earthquake

ruptured a 560 to 620 mile segment of the Nasca Plate

which had subducted the South American Plate.  The

catastrophic quake triggered tsunamis that traveled

across the Pacific to Japan, the Philippines and

Australia.  The highest tsunami reached 82 feet that

slammed into that part of the coast bounded by the ports

of Lebu and Puerto Aisen.  A 35-foot tsunami slammed into

Hilo Hawaii, 6,200 miles distant, some 15 hours later

where 61 were killed and where the largest wave arrived

in the middle of the night.  It was the first tsunami for

which warnings had been issued.  Anywhere from 1,850 to

2,000 people were killed of which 1,655 were in Chile.	



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