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Most of the world's most destructive tornadoes occur in the United States. They cause massive amounts of property loss and can kill many people. Sometimes, several different tornadoes can combine into one and basically erase the landscape.

Damage from tornadoes is caused by high-velocity rotating winds. The severity of the damage depends on the size of the tornado funnel and the length of time the funnel touches the ground. Damage is generally confined to a narrow path extending up to half a mile wide and from a hundred yards to several miles long. Tornado debris includes damaged and destroyed structures, green waste, and personal property. This makes the aftermath of the tornado potentially deadly and dangerous because of leaking gas lines and live electric wires.

The Tri-State Tornado on March 18, 1925 is one of the most well documented and destructive in history. Knowing no state-line boundary, this storm left nearly a 220 mile path of destruction in Missouri, Southern Illinois and Southwest Indiana. 695 people were killed, an additional 2,771 people were injured, and a massive amount of property was damaged. This tornado had a sustained wind speed of 261 to 318 miles per hour which has the power to cause noticeable damage to a steel-reinforced concrete building.

Learn more about history's MOST DEADLY TORNADOES.

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