Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

The 10 Worst Tornadoes In US History

The 10 Worst Tornadoes In US History

The largest tornado outbreak on record before 2011 claims 310 lives as 148 confirmed tornadoes over a 24-hour period rage across 13 US states.

More than 70 people are feared dead after tornadoes devastated the southeastern US state of Kentucky overnight Friday into Saturday.

Here is a list of the deadliest tornado days in the US' recorded history:


1. 747 deaths - March 18, 1925 - The Tri-State Tornado: The deadliest single tornado in American history claims 695 lives as the monster twister crosses Missouri, southern Illinois and into southwestern Indiana. The wider tornado outbreak leaves 747 people dead.

2. 332 deaths - March 21, 1932 - The Deep South tornado outbreak: Tornadoes are produced from Texas to South Carolina -- 270 of the dead are in Alabama alone.

3. 317 deaths - May 17, 1840 - The Great Natchez Tornado: The second-deadliest single tornado in US history strikes the Mississippi town of Natchez, killing 317 people. Most of the dead are killed on flatboats on the river.

4. 314 deaths - April 24, 2011 - The 2011 "Super Outbreak": Approximately 300 tornadoes lash the southeastern United States between April 22 and April 28, killing at least 354 people. On April 27 alone, 314 people die in five states. Alabama suffers around 250 deaths. Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and Virginia are also affected.

5. 310 deaths - April 3, 1974 - The original "Super Outbreak": The largest tornado outbreak on record before 2011 claims 310 lives as 148 confirmed tornadoes over a 24-hour period rage across 13 US states.

6. 305 deaths - May 27, 1896 - St. Louis-East St. Louis tornado: Rounding off a deadly two-week storm period, 305 people are killed by tornadoes in Missouri, Illinois and Kentucky.

7. 260 deaths - April 11, 1965 - The Palm Sunday outbreak: Some 50 twisters hit the Midwest, killing 260 people and leaving more than 1,000 injured in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.

8. 249 deaths - April 5, 1936 - Tupelo-Gainesville tornado outbreak: Most of the 249 people killed are in one Mississippi town, Tupelo.

9. 224 deaths - April 20, 1920 - Alabama-Mississippi: The deadly tornado-packed spring of 1920 ends with 224 people killed in an unusual early morning outbreak in Alabama and Mississippi.

10. 220 deaths - April 24, 1908 - Dixie tornado outbreak: Dozens of twisters stretching from South Dakota to Texas leave 220 dead.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×