Tornadoes

[W. Gray]

According to one web site, Kansas has experienced 199 tornado deaths since 1950. This site says Kansas ranks 3rd in the nation in frequency of tornadoes, 8th for number of deaths, 14th for injuries, and 3rd in cost of damages.

According to another web site, there have been 432 deaths in Kansas from 2,132 tornadoes during the period 1879 through 1993. (During this same period Colorado experienced 1,161 tornadoes.)

Through 1993, Elk County experienced one death on April 2, 1956 and one death on April 26, 1991. I believe the one in April 1956 was the one that inspired my uncle to build a tornado shelter right outside their kitchen door.

Another web site says that each year an average of 134 tornadoes occur in Texas; 58 in Oklahoma; 56 in Kansas; 51 in Florida; and 43 in Nebraska.

The lowest number of tornadoes that have been recorded in total are Alaska, 2; Rhode Island, 9; Hawaii, 31, Vermont, 37; and Oregon 87.

And, Wikipedia says about tornadoes in general:

The most extensive tornado outbreak on record, in almost every category, was the Super Outbreak, which affected a large area of the central United States and extreme southern Ontario in Canada on April 3 and April 4, 1974. Not only did this outbreak feature an incredible 148 tornadoes in only 18 hours, but an unprecedented number of them were violent; 7 were of F5 intensity, and 23 F4. This outbreak had a staggering 16 tornadoes on the ground at the same time at the peak of the outbreak. More than 300 people, possibly as many as 330, were killed by tornadoes during this outbreak.

And,

The deadliest tornado in world history was the Daultipur-Salturia Tornado in Bangladesh on April 26, 1989, which killed approximately 1,300 people.