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 16.5 million US Dollars at the time in damages, which amounts to the staggering figure of 1.4 billion US Dollars 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 weather 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 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 hasty and expeditious deploying of officials and medical personnel.
