Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Mar 09, 2026

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
Trump Declines UK Offer to Deploy Aircraft Carriers to Middle East Amid Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to Australia After Seven Years for Philanthropic and Business Engagements
UK Government Signals Independence From Washington as Cooper Says Britain Does Not Agree With Trump on Every Issue
UK Experts Warn AI Chatbots Are Fueling Surge in Claims of Organised ‘Satanic’ Ritual Abuse
UK Political Parties Divided Over Strategy as Iran Conflict Reshapes Foreign Policy Debate
Britain Discloses Secret Military Repair Hubs Operating Inside Ukraine
Trump Says US No Longer Needs UK Carrier Support After Delayed Offer Amid Iran Conflict
Why Britain Has Become Involved in the US-Israel Military Campaign Against Iran
UK Gas Storage Falls to Under Two Days as Iran Conflict Jolts Global Energy Markets
UK Warned to Brace for Economic Shock as Iran War Drives Global Energy Price Surge
Starmer and Trump Hold First Call After Public Dispute Over Iran Conflict
UK Dentists Returned £1.3 Billion to Government as Shift Toward Private Care Accelerates
Expert Warns UK Must Build Emergency Food Stockpiles to Prepare for Climate Shocks or War
UK Plans Charter Flight to Evacuate British Nationals from Gulf as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel
Families of Zimbabwe’s Liberation Fighters Call on Britain to Help Locate Skulls Taken During Colonial War
Iran’s Ambassador Warns Britain to ‘Be Very Careful’ Over Deeper Role in Expanding Middle East War
UK Military Leadership Defends Britain’s Defensive Role in Expanding Middle East Conflict
Four U.S. Strategic Bombers Arrive in Britain as Iran War Intensifies
Soham Murderer Ian Huntley Dies After Violent Attack in High-Security Prison
UK Lawmakers and Experts Condemn Scale of Overseas Human Remains Held in British Museums
Royal Navy Aircraft Carrier HMS Prince of Wales Placed on Standby for Potential Deployment
United Kingdom Confirms U.S. Military Using British Bases for Operations Targeting Iranian Missile Sites
Starmer Defends UK Role in Iran Conflict After Renewed Criticism from President Trump
Blue Owl Reveals £36 Million Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender Serving Wealthy Clients
UK Asylum Reform Plan Triggers Fierce Debate Over Border Control and Humanitarian Impact
US Stealth Bombers Head to UK Base as Trump Issues Stark Warning to Iran
UK Deputy Prime Minister Says Legal Case Could Exist for British Strikes on Iranian Missile Sites
Investigators Link Mysterious Parcel Fires Across Europe to Russian Intelligence Operation
Debate Intensifies Over Britain’s Legal Justification for US Military Operations Launched From UK Bases
Britain Faces Heightened Energy Price Risks as Iran-Linked Tensions Threaten Global Oil and Gas Supplies
British Counter-Terror Police Arrest Four Suspected of Spying on Jewish Community for Iran
Axel Springer Agrees $770 Million Deal to Acquire Britain’s Daily Telegraph
Iceland Supermarket Drops Trademark Challenge Against Icelandic Government in Long-Running Naming Dispute
UK Defence Secretary Visits Cyprus Following Scrutiny of Britain’s Response to Drone Attacks
Questions Grow Over Britain’s Military Readiness as Response to Iran Conflict Draws Scrutiny
UK Offers Failed Asylum Seeker Families Up to Forty Thousand Pounds to Leave Voluntarily
Saharan Dust Could Bring ‘Blood Rain’ to Parts of the UK as Weather Systems Shift
UK Deploys Additional Typhoon Fighter Jets to Qatar and Helicopters to Cyprus Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
Experts Urge Britain to Accelerate Renewable Energy Push as Global Conflicts Drive Up Costs
British Public Shows Strong Reluctance to Join Wider War in Iran
First UK Evacuation Flight Departs Middle East After Lengthy Delay
United Kingdom Imposes New Visa Requirements on Travelers from St. Lucia and Nicaragua
Iran Conflict Strains U.S.–U.K. Alliance as Trump and Starmer Clash Over Military Strategy
UK Interest Rates Could Rise Above Four Percent Again if Energy Shock Continues, Think Tank Warns
Starmer Defends Britain’s Iran Strategy as Badenoch Urges Stronger Military Support
Labour MP Says She Saw No Sign Husband Broke Law After Arrest in China Espionage Investigation
UK Jobless Rate Overtakes Italy’s for First Time in Years as Labour Market Weakens
United Kingdom Suspends Student Visas for Four Countries in Unprecedented Immigration Move
Campaigners Warn UK Student Visa Ban Could Push Migrants Toward Dangerous Channel Crossings
First U.K. Charter Flight for Stranded Nationals Set to Depart Oman Amid Middle East Crisis
×