MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — From Logan School's top floor, 11-year-old Othella Silvey should have been able to see her house easily — it was less than two blocks away.
But after a monstrous tornado ripped through the Illinois town of Murphysboro on March 18, 1925, Othella saw nothing but flattened wasteland.
"She couldn't tell which direction was home," said Othella's daughter, 81-year-old Sylvia Carvell.
This photo shows a board driven into a tree in Murphysboro, Ill., after a tornado tore through Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri in March 1925.
Deadliest twister in recorded U.S. history
The deadliest twister in recorded U.S. history struck 100 years ago Tuesday, touching down in southeastern Missouri and tearing up everything in its 219-mile (352-kilometer) path for nearly four hours through southern Illinois and into Indiana.
It left 695 people dead and more than 2,000 injured, not counting the casualties from at least seven other twisters that the main storm spawned which spun off through Kentucky and into Alabama.
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Modern standards qualify the so-called Tri-State Tornado as an F5, a mile-wide funnel with wind speeds greater than 260 mph.
Perhaps the best evidence of its destructive handiwork was found on the Logan School grounds: A wooden board measuring 4 feet long by 8 inches wide driven so deeply into the trunk of a maple tree that it could hold the weight of a man.
It's on display this month as part of the Jackson County Historical Society's centennial commemoration of the disaster.
"You know the numbers: 200 mph winds. It was a mile wide. But the force that it took to put that pine board into that maple tree, it really puts it all in perspective," said Mary Riseling, coordinator of the six-day remembrance. "To have one item that was witness to the force of those winds, it's a story all its own."
Mary Riseling, coordinator of the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the March 18 Tri-State Tornado, a board driven into the trunk of a maple tree on display March 11 at the Jackson County Historical Society in Murphysboro, Ill.
Perfect atmospheric mix
The atmospheric stew that gave birth to the ferocious cataclysm was literally a perfect storm. A surface low pressure system located over the Arkansas-Missouri border moved northeast, blending with a warm front moving north, said Christine Wielgos, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
That churn "provided the warmth, the instability, the moisture" which, when "married perfectly," produce long-track, violent tornadoes, Wielgos said.
Adding to the terror was the lack of notice. There was no reliable storm forecasting in 1925 and no warning system anyway.
"All they had was they looked off to the West and went, 'Looking a little dark out there,' and didn't even know what it was until it was right up on them and then you're scrambling to find shelter," Wielgos said.
This photo shows the Logan School in March 1925 in Murphysboro, Ill., after a tornado tore through Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.
Towns obliterated
The storm took out 40% of the city of Murphysboro, 97 miles southeast of St. Louis. Its 234 deaths were the most of any municipality, with entire neighborhoods flattened. Other towns were virtually obliterated, too, including Annapolis, Missouri; Gorham, Illinois; and Griffith, Indiana.
The Mobile & Ohio Railroad yards, employing close to 1,100, were wiped out. At the twister's next stop, it ravaged the DeSoto School, killing 38 children.
Sheet music for "After the Tornado is Over," a morbid dirge written locally, reflects the mood of the odious aftermath:
"I once had a 'Home Sweet Home' here/With families so kind and dear/The Red Cross tells me they are dead/Among the debris straight ahead/Death seems to come to every door/The strong and weak, the rich and poor."
In Murphysboro, Pullman rail cars arrived to house visiting medical professionals and cleanup crews. The Red Cross supplied tents for the homeless.
With reports that the Silvey family were killed and their home destroyed, Othella and her younger sister, Helen Silvey, 7, were shipped to Carbondale as orphans. However, it was their grandparents — who lived a block away — who died, Carvell said. The sisters were eventually reunited with their parents.
This photo shows downtown Murphysboro, Ill., in March 1925 after a tornado tore through Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri.
Celebrating resilience
The city rebuilt. Othella Silvey's family erected a home identical to the one that was leveled. First, they built a chicken coop, which supplied not only their primary dietary staple for months, but their shelter until the primary residence was finished, Carvell said.
To this day, the west side of Murphysboro is peppered with small backyard structures that were temporary quarters until families could rebuild larger homes at the front of their lots.
Dozens of families who toughed it out remain in Murphysboro, Riseling said. Jackson County Historical Society President Laura Cates Duncan said the commemoration honors those who died but also celebrates the resilience of those who carried on.
"They could have gone elsewhere, but they wanted to stay here," Duncan said. "Their roots were here."
10 states that will likely face the most financial losses from climate change
Financial losses from climate change on the horizon
With a variety of environmental events affecting the wide stretch of the United States, each state is subject to its own risks. Particularly, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, landslides, lightning and drought, among other events, can cause damage to buildings, agriculture and individuals alike. When considering insurance, residents and business owners in each state should account for historic and projected losses due to environmental events in their financial plans.
With this in mind, set out to determine which states are most at financial risk due to various weather events. States were ranked by the total expected annual financial losses per person across all major environmental events according to the latest data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Key findings
- Louisiana is expected to lose $556 per resident to environmental damages per year. This is more than 20% more damage than second-place South Dakota ($456 per person). Most of Louisiana's projected damages are due to riverine flooding, coastal flooding and hurricanes.
- Ohio and New York State are projected to be safest from environmental financial damages. Across all event types, Ohio residents may see as little as $64 in damages per person. For New York State, that figure is $69. New York's biggest risk factors include drought and heat waves.
- New Jersey has the highest risk of damage from coastal flooding per person. Despite New Jersey's high population density, residents may face an estimated $68 in damages per person per year. Delaware ranks second in this metric at $23 per person.
- Winters are most fierce in the Dakotas. Overall, South Dakota and North Dakota rank second and sixth for most projected damages per person. This is mostly due to having some of the highest projected damages per person for cold freezes, hail, ice storms and strong winds. South Dakota also has the most projected damages from tornadoes.
- California residents are most at risk for both drought and earthquake damage. Residents stand to lose $335 each to droughts within a year. When it comes to wildfires, the state has the sixth-highest projected damages per person.Â
- Nebraska is projected to withstand nearly double the hail damage as the second-most state. Residents might expect to see roughly $91 in damages per person, compared to the second-most South Dakota ($56 per person).
- Missouri is expected to see damages of $50 per person due to heat waves. This is most of any state. Nevada ranks second in this category with projected damages of $47 per person.
- Hurricane damage is one of the most expensive types of environmental occurrences. When it comes to hurricanes, Florida anticipates $363 in damages per person, most of any state. Louisiana has the second-most expected hurricane damages at $307 per person. South Carolina ($291) and North Carolina ($168) are also particularly at risk.
- Oregon has the highest risk of landslides. Landslides are projected to cost Oregonians $9 each. This is compared to second and third place West Virginia ($5 per person projection) and Idaho ($4 per person).
Top 10 states with the highest projected annual losses per person due to weather events
1. Louisiana
Total expected annual loss per person: $555.55
- Coastal flooding: $12.56
- Drought: $3.00
- Earthquake: $3.22
- Heat wave: $12.20
- Hurricane: $307.64
- Riverine flooding: $150.60
- Strong wind: $6.36
- Tornado: $45.47
- Wildfire: $2.77
- Winter weather: $0.62
2. South Dakota
Total expected annual loss per person: $455.62
- Coastal flooding: $0
- Drought: $0.68
- Earthquake: $0.89
- Heat wave: $3.75
- Hurricane: $0
- Riverine flooding: $52.03
- Strong wind: $48.62
- Tornado: $121.99
- Wildfire: $46.64
- Winter weather: $27.21
3. Florida
Total expected annual loss per person: $422.84
- Coastal flooding: $1.68
- Drought: $1.71
- Earthquake: $0.84
- Heat wave: $0.12
- Hurricane: $363.02
- Riverine flooding: $12.19
- Strong wind: $1.47
- Tornado: $21.44
- Wildfire: $12.53
- Winter weather: $0.02
4. South Carolina
Total expected annual loss per person: $418.78
- Coastal flooding: $1.09
- Drought: $1.12
- Earthquake: $57.67
- Heat wave: $2.75
- Hurricane: $291.05
- Riverine flooding: $5.75
- Strong wind: $8.25
- Tornado: $34.36
- Wildfire: $2.94
- Winter weather: $0.44
5. California
Total expected annual loss per person: $413.43
- Coastal flooding: $0.35
- Drought: $26.10
- Earthquake: $335.35
- Heat wave: $3.28
- Hurricane: $0.00
- Riverine flooding: $10.03
- Strong wind: $0.06
- Tornado: $1.24
- Wildfire: $36.05
- Winter weather: $0.03
6. North Dakota
Total expected annual loss per person: $411.04
- Coastal flooding: $0.00
- Drought: $0.83
- Earthquake: $0.21
- Heat wave: $5.43
- Hurricane: $0.00
- Riverine flooding: $68.74
- Strong wind: $57.74
- Tornado: $53.74
- Wildfire: $16.54
- Winter weather: $46.28
7. Oregon
Total expected annual loss per person: $338.11
- Coastal flooding: $10.31
- Drought: $0.14
- Earthquake: $271.34
- Heat wave: $1.68
- Hurricane: $0.00
- Riverine flooding: $15.88
- Strong wind: $0.34
- Tornado: $1.21
- Wildfire: $15.88
- Winter weather: $0.70
8. Mississippi
Total expected annual loss per person: $337.33
- Coastal flooding: $3.50
- Drought: $1.54
- Earthquake: $33.27
- Heat wave: $11.26
- Hurricane: $143.35
- Riverine flooding: $31.00
- Strong wind: $10.86
- Tornado: $78.15
- Wildfire: $6.30
- Winter weather: $1.09
9. Nebraska
Total expected annual loss per person: $329.51
- Coastal flooding: $0.00
- Drought: $15.10
- Earthquake: $0.63
- Heat wave: $1.89
- Hurricane: $0.00
- Riverine flooding: $28.60
- Strong wind: $38.24
- Tornado: $116.19
- Wildfire: $2.53
- Winter weather: $9.82
10. Texas
Total expected annual loss per person: $283.15
- Coastal flooding: $1.49
- Drought: $3.48
- Earthquake: $1.71
- Heat wave: $8.16
- Hurricane: $89.22
- Riverine flooding: $66.05
- Strong wind: $5.37
- Tornado: $71.04
- Wildfire: $8.26
- Winter weather: $1.96
Top 10 states with the lowest projected annual losses per person due to weather events
1. Ohio
Total expected annual loss per person: $63.89
- Coastal flooding: $0.05
- Drought: $0.02
- Earthquake: $3.55
- Heat wave: $1.90
- Hurricane: $1.16
- Riverine flooding: $11.31
- Strong wind: $5.31
- Tornado: $27.33
- Wildfire: $0.31
- Winter weather: $2.11
2. New York
Total expected annual loss per person: $68.89
- Coastal flooding: $4.53
- Drought: $0.08
- Earthquake: $2.78
- Heat wave: $4.55
- Hurricane: $29.92
- Riverine flooding: $12.03
- Strong wind: $4.09
- Tornado: $5.67
- Wildfire: $0.12
- Winter weather: $0.35
3. Arizona
Total expected annual loss per person: $73.00
- Coastal flooding: $0.00
- Drought: $5.95
- Earthquake: $15.96
- Heat wave: $9.86
- Hurricane: $0.05
- Riverine flooding: $7.73
- Strong wind: $1.09
- Tornado: $0.97
- Wildfire: $27.28
- Winter weather: $0.13
4. Pennsylvania
Total expected annual loss per person: $74.65
- Coastal flooding: $1.71
- Drought: $1.02
- Earthquake: $1.66
- Heat wave: $11.63
- Hurricane: $22.46
- Riverine flooding: $14.73
- Strong wind: $4.71
- Tornado: $10.13
- Wildfire: $0.19
- Winter weather: $1.11
5. Rhode Island
Total expected annual loss per person: $75.72
- Coastal flooding: $3.30
- Drought: $0.42
- Earthquake: $1.85
- Heat wave: $2.88
- Hurricane: $50.89
- Riverine flooding: $8.79
- Strong wind: $0.55
- Tornado: $4.22
- Wildfire: $0.08
- Winter weather: $0.05
6. Vermont
Total expected annual loss per person: $77.99
- Coastal flooding: $0.00
- Drought: $0.00
- Earthquake: $4.32
- Heat wave: $0.35
- Hurricane: $21.61
- Riverine flooding: $29.95
- Strong wind: $2.34
- Tornado: $5.72
- Wildfire: $0.52
- Winter weather: $1.71
7. Michigan
Total expected annual loss per person: $83.29
- Coastal flooding: $0.23
- Drought: $0.00
- Earthquake: $1.14
- Heat wave: $4.47
- Hurricane: $0.53
- Riverine flooding: $8.72
- Strong wind: $14.34
- Tornado: $41.74
- Wildfire: $0.52
- Winter weather: $1.02
8. Massachusetts
Total expected annual loss per person: $85.95
- Coastal flooding: $2.60
- Drought: $1.11
- Earthquake: $3.72
- Heat wave: $0.80
- Hurricane: $60.98
- Riverine flooding: $7.61
- Strong wind: $0.40
- Tornado: $5.07
- Wildfire: $0.24
- Winter weather: $0.08
9. West Virginia
Total expected annual loss per person: $87.36
- Coastal flooding: $0.00
- Drought: $0.19
- Earthquake: $2.01
- Heat wave: $0.78
- Hurricane: $8.28
- Riverine flooding: $45.04
- Strong wind: $6.21
- Tornado: $6.20
- Wildfire: $3.45
- Winter weather: $1.08
10. Connecticut
Total expected annual loss per person: $94.01
- Coastal flooding: $6.66
- Drought: $1.59
- Earthquake: $2.10
- Heat wave: $0.54
- Hurricane: $67.52
- Riverine flooding: $2.62
- Strong wind: $3.24
- Tornado: $5.70
- Wildfire: $0.06
- Winter weather: $0.19
Data and methodology
Expected annual loss estimates are normalized for each state's population. Data comes from FEMA and includes projected costs in one year of agricultural, building, and population damage done by coastal flooding, cold wave, drought, earthquake, hail, heat wave, hurricane, ice storm, landslide, lightning, riverine flooding, strong wind, tornado, tsunami, volcanic activity, wildfire and winter weather.
was produced by and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.
