2013 Moore tornado: Difference between revisions

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Revision as of 01:57, 21 May 2013 editUnited States Man (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers34,229 edits Undid revision 556038710 by JayJay (talk)← Previous edit		Revision as of 01:58, 21 May 2013 edit undoJayJay (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers10,400 editsNo edit summaryNext edit →
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	\| time = 2:56–3:36 p.m. ] (1956–2036 ])		\| time = 2:56–3:36 p.m. ] (1956–2036 ])
	\| fujitascale = Preliminary EF4+		\| fujitascale = Preliminary EF4+
			\| enhanced = yes
	\| total damages (USD) = Unknown		\| total damages (USD) = Unknown
	\| total fatalities = 51+ fatalities<!--from State's Medical Examiner-->, more than 120 injuries <!--reported by AP-->		\| total fatalities = 51+ fatalities<!--from State's Medical Examiner-->, more than 120 injuries <!--reported by AP-->

Revision as of 01:58, 21 May 2013

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2013 Moore, Oklahoma, tornado
Tornado as it passed southwest of Moore



Max. rating	Preliminary EF4+ tornado



Fatalities	51+ fatalities, more than 120 injuries
Damage	Unknown
Most severe tornado damage; see Enhanced Fujita scale

On the afternoon of Monday, May 20, 2013, a devastating tornado (rated at least EF4) hit Moore, Oklahoma, killing at least 51 people and injuring more than 120. The tornado touched down at 2:56 p.m. CDT (19:56 UTC), staying on the ground for approximately 40 minutes over a 20-mile (32 km) path. KWTV coverage confirmed that it touched down west of Newcastle and crossed a heavily populated section of Moore. It was possibly over 2 miles (3.2 km) wide at its peak.

Impact

Entire subdivisions were obliterated and houses flattened in a large swath of the city. Several schools were also damaged or destroyed, with Briarwood Elementary School taking a direct hit with children trapped; KFOR coverage showed Plaza Towers Elementary School also having taken a direct hit with 75 students present, with the school being nearly completely destroyed. Seven children have been confirmed dead inside the school, and as many as 30 are still unaccounted for. It was the first deadly tornado at a U.S. school since March 1, 2007, in Enterprise, Alabama. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people were injured and many fatalities have been reported, but the exact number has yet to be confirmed. 51 people have been confirmed dead by the Oklahoma State medical examiner's office. Large sections of Interstate 35 were shut down; debris was thrown onto the freeway. The tornado left more than 38,000 electricity customers in Oklahoma without power in its aftermath.

KFOR meteorologist Mike Morgan has suggested that the May 20 tornado was "the worst tornado, damage wise, in the history of the world", and the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, has given the storm a preliminary rating of at least EF4. Witnesses said it more closely resembled "a giant black wall of destruction" than a typical twister.