Significant Tornado Events

[buckeye05]

Nobody here ever talks about the Havana, Cuba Tornado of January 27th, 2019, the first violent tornado of 2019, and the first tornado of such magnitude recorded in Cuba's History in a long, LONG time. The tornado razed several masonry-constructed homes, built of concrete and extremely durable, down to their first floor as it moved through densely populated suburbs of the town. However, the environment that the parent supercell was located in just didn't suggest or support the potential for a violent (EF4+) tornado at all.

The tornado appeared as an ominous stovepipe tornado for most of its lifespan, as seen in this colorized image of a security camera

View attachment 9042

The tornado razed the upper floors of several apartment buildings, which allowed most people to take cover, explaining the relatively low death toll from the storm. Some of them were completely collapsed by the storm.

The tornado was given 185 mph

View attachment 9046
View attachment 9043
View attachment 9044

The environment below is what has me at a loss, although it definitely supports tornado potential, the kinematics and thermodynamics just aren't strong enough to support a tornado of EF4 intensity. The environment depicted below was consistent throughout the warm sector, and as the parent supercell came into closer contact with NEXRAD radar, it failed to produce another instance of strong rotation after the Havana Tornado had dissipated.

View attachment 9045

One of the most fascinating, anomalous, and overlooked tornado events in recent memory.

 

[zvl5316]

Speaking of high tornadic death totals have you heard of the April 11, 1878 Stameeu China tornado. It was mentioned in the April 1878 monthly weather review and reportedly killed 10,000 people. I’m not sure if the death total is accurate though.

The earliest account of catastrophic tornadoes in China is in Pingyuan (named Wucheng at that time), Shandong Province in 1076. It is reported by Dream Pool Essays. It says a tornado destroyed the whole city including the great houses of local officers. The casualty was 'countless' and the city had to be rebuilt in another site.

 

[buckeye05]

What was the deadliest tornado in South American history? I remember somebody once posted about in here, but I don't remember the specifics.

 

[zvl5316]

What was the deadliest tornado in South American history? I remember somebody once posted about in here, but I don't remember the specifics.

A tornado hit Encarnación, Paraguay on 9/20/1926 killed 300 people but it is hard to find detailed information.

 

[Marshal79344]

A tornado hit Encarnación, Paraguay on 9/20/1926 killed 300 people but it is hard to find detailed information.

I did a posting on this event a while back https://talkweather.com/threads/significant-tornado-events.1276/post-49931

 

[zvl5316]

Nobody here ever talks about the Havana, Cuba Tornado of January 27th, 2019, the first violent tornado of 2019, and the first tornado of such magnitude recorded in Cuba's History in a long, LONG time. The tornado razed several masonry-constructed homes, built of concrete and extremely durable, down to their first floor as it moved through densely populated suburbs of the town. However, the environment that the parent supercell was located in just didn't suggest or support the potential for a violent (EF4+) tornado at all.

The tornado appeared as an ominous stovepipe tornado for most of its lifespan, as seen in this colorized image of a security camera

View attachment 9042

The tornado razed the upper floors of several apartment buildings, which allowed most people to take cover, explaining the relatively low death toll from the storm. Some of them were completely collapsed by the storm.

The tornado was given 185 mph

View attachment 9046
View attachment 9043
View attachment 9044

The environment below is what has me at a loss, although it definitely supports tornado potential, the kinematics and thermodynamics just aren't strong enough to support a tornado of EF4 intensity. The environment depicted below was consistent throughout the warm sector, and as the parent supercell came into closer contact with NEXRAD radar, it failed to produce another instance of strong rotation after the Havana Tornado had dissipated.

View attachment 9045

It is really a real event but I doubt whether NWS Key West is experienced enough to rate violent tornadoes. From figures of damage in Havana, I think it is probably a violent one but I could not understand that was a tornado with same 185mph intensity to Louisville, MS tornado on 4/28/2014.

 

[TH2002]

Has anyone in this thread mentioned the 2012 Tsukuba, Japan tornado? Definitely one of the stronger tornado events recorded outside of the US, at least in recent memory.

While most of the structures hit were obviously built to survive earthquakes and not so much tornadoes, a lot of the damage was still very impressive. A mat foundation was pulled out of the ground and trees were snapped and debarked. Numerous homes were also swept completely away (though construction did not warrant an F5 rating), vehicles were tossed and destroyed, and several large industrial buildings and an apartment complex were substantially damaged. Sadly one person did lose their life and dozens of injuries occurred.

Not trying to take away from the tragedy of the event, but some of the footage of this thing is, in my opinion, among the best tornado footage ever recorded outside of the US:

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Has anyone in this thread mentioned the 2012 Tsukuba, Japan tornado? Definitely one of the stronger tornado events recorded outside of the US, at least in recent memory.

While most of the structures hit were obviously built to survive earthquakes and not so much tornadoes, a lot of the damage was still very impressive. A mat foundation was pulled out of the ground and trees were snapped and debarked. Numerous homes were also swept completely away (though construction did not warrant an F5 rating), vehicles were tossed and destroyed, and several large industrial buildings and an apartment complex were substantially damaged. Sadly one person did lose their life and dozens of injuries occurred.

Not trying to take away from the tragedy of the event, but some of the footage of this thing is, in my opinion, among the best tornado footage ever recorded outside of the US:

It was given an F3 rating though I feel like an F4 rating would be reasonable.

 

[zvl5316]

It was given an F3 rating though I feel like an F4 rating would be reasonable.

There was a JEF3 (F3) tornado hit Saroma, Japan on 11/18/2006. 9 were killed in that event

 

[zvl5316]

The tornado season in Japan is much longer than that in China. The tornadoes generated by low level shear in tropical or extratropical cyclones could happen in nearly the whole year in Japan though the highest intensity recorded is only F3 by now. For comparison, the neighbouring Korean Peninsula is rarely hit by tornadoes.
Tornado database in Japan:

気象庁 | 最近発生した事例一覧（速報）

気象庁が提供するページです

www.data.jma.go.jp

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

Some violent and notable pre-1990 Bangladesh-East India tornadoes:

4/8/1838 Calcutta, India:
This tornado was deadly and slow-moving with a forward speed of ~6 mph. Homes were reported to have "vanished," grass was scoured, palm trees were debarked and a large peepul tree was uprooted. 215 people were killed by this tornado.

4/19/1963 Cooch Behar, Bangladesh:
This is the tornado that Fujita gave an F4 rating. Homes were completely leveled, trees were completely denuded, bamboo groves were uprooted, and ground scouring occurred in paddy/jute fields.

4/11/1964 Muhammadpur, Bangladesh:
This extremely deadly and violent tornado devastated multiple villages in the Muhammadpur Union. Entire villages were wiped out with one reporting to have no survivors. The death total might have been as high as 1300 but this can't be confirmed. "Three unions comprising seven villages of Mohammadpur under Magura subdivision were wiped out without any trace of human habitation." I wish there was more information available about this tornado as it sounds pretty violent.

4/17/1973 Manikganj, Bangladesh:
This tornado devastated the Manikganj subdivision. Eight villages were leveled. In one village "not a single dwelling was traceable." The official death total is 681 but the unofficial death total is 1000. A "pucca" (dwellings that are designed to be solid and permanent) concrete structure was moved a few meters.

4/26/1989 Saturia, Bangladesh:
This is the most famous of all the Bangladesh tornadoes due to it being the official deadliest tornado in world history. Homes were completely leveled, trees were denuded and 1300 people were killed. The WMO rated it as a mid-end F3.

 

[zvl5316]

Some violent and notable pre-1990 Bangladesh-East India tornadoes:

4/8/1838 Calcutta, India:
This tornado was deadly and slow-moving with a forward speed of ~6 mph. Homes were reported to have "vanished," grass was scoured, palm trees were debarked and a large peepul tree was uprooted. 215 people were killed by this tornado.

4/19/1963 Cooch Behar, Bangladesh:
This is the tornado that Fujita gave an F4 rating. Homes were completely leveled, trees were completely denuded, bamboo groves were uprooted, and ground scouring occurred in paddy/jute fields.

4/11/1964 Muhammadpur, Bangladesh:
This extremely deadly and violent tornado devastated multiple villages in the Muhammadpur Union. Entire villages were wiped out with one reporting to have no survivors. The death total might have been as high as 1300 but this can't be confirmed. "Three unions comprising seven villages of Mohammadpur under Magura subdivision were wiped out without any trace of human habitation." I wish there was more information available about this tornado as it sounds pretty violent.

4/17/1973 Manikganj, Bangladesh:
This tornado devastated the Manikganj subdivision. Eight villages were leveled. In one village "not a single dwelling was traceable." The official death total is 681 but the unofficial death total is 1000. A "pucca" (dwellings that are designed to be solid and permanent) concrete structure was moved a few meters.

4/26/1989 Saturia, Bangladesh:
This is the most famous of all the Bangladesh tornadoes due to it being the official deadliest tornado in world history. Homes were completely leveled, trees were denuded and 1300 people were killed. The WMO rated it as a mid-end F3.

The tornado hit Bangladesh in 2013 had amazing ratation speed like Dalton EF4 last year

 

[MNTornadoGuy]

The tornado hit Bangladesh in 2013 had amazing ratation speed like Dalton EF4 last year

That tornado did produce some impressive tree damage.

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

What was the deadliest tornado in South American history? I remember somebody once posted about in here, but I don't remember the specifics.

Encarnación, Paraguay tornado of 1926. It supposedly killed 300 people.

Video of the aftermath from it:

A thread with some damage pics from it: http://foro.gustfront.com.ar/viewtopic.php?t=1556

A post I made of it and other violent SA tornadoes a while back: https://talkweather.com/threads/significant-tornado-events.1276/page-73#post-49900

 

[Juliett Bravo Kilo]

Has anyone in this thread mentioned the 2012 Tsukuba, Japan tornado? Definitely one of the stronger tornado events recorded outside of the US, at least in recent memory.

While most of the structures hit were obviously built to survive earthquakes and not so much tornadoes, a lot of the damage was still very impressive. A mat foundation was pulled out of the ground and trees were snapped and debarked. Numerous homes were also swept completely away (though construction did not warrant an F5 rating), vehicles were tossed and destroyed, and several large industrial buildings and an apartment complex were substantially damaged. Sadly one person did lose their life and dozens of injuries occurred.

Not trying to take away from the tragedy of the event, but some of the footage of this thing is, in my opinion, among the best tornado footage ever recorded outside of the US:

A while back I did: https://talkweather.com/threads/significant-tornado-events.1276/page-61#post-49331

This thing debarked trees, not something you see outside the US that much.

 

[pohnpei]

Not sure If Warsaw ND tornado on July 3 1947 has been mentioned in this thread yet. This tornado has been largely overshadowed by Woodward and Leedy tornado this year.
It has been said nearly the entire town of Warsaw was wiped out.States attorney said only the Catholic church and town hall left standing. It also mangled a cambine into unrecoginizable form which should be one of the most violent combine damage that I have seen from a tornado.

Tornado damage to a combine, Warsaw, N.D.

www.digitalhorizonsonline.org

 

[zvl5316]

The violent tornado hit Bangladesh on May 13, 1996 ripped the 2nd floor of a concrete school.
http://www.iawe.org/WRDRR_Bangladesh/Preprints/S3Hayashi-Yamane.pdf

 

[pohnpei]

Some violent and notable pre-1990 Bangladesh-East India tornadoes:

4/8/1838 Calcutta, India:
This tornado was deadly and slow-moving with a forward speed of ~6 mph. Homes were reported to have "vanished," grass was scoured, palm trees were debarked and a large peepul tree was uprooted. 215 people were killed by this tornado.

4/19/1963 Cooch Behar, Bangladesh:
This is the tornado that Fujita gave an F4 rating. Homes were completely leveled, trees were completely denuded, bamboo groves were uprooted, and ground scouring occurred in paddy/jute fields.

4/11/1964 Muhammadpur, Bangladesh:
This extremely deadly and violent tornado devastated multiple villages in the Muhammadpur Union. Entire villages were wiped out with one reporting to have no survivors. The death total might have been as high as 1300 but this can't be confirmed. "Three unions comprising seven villages of Mohammadpur under Magura subdivision were wiped out without any trace of human habitation." I wish there was more information available about this tornado as it sounds pretty violent.

4/17/1973 Manikganj, Bangladesh:
This tornado devastated the Manikganj subdivision. Eight villages were leveled. In one village "not a single dwelling was traceable." The official death total is 681 but the unofficial death total is 1000. A "pucca" (dwellings that are designed to be solid and permanent) concrete structure was moved a few meters.

4/26/1989 Saturia, Bangladesh:
This is the most famous of all the Bangladesh tornadoes due to it being the official deadliest tornado in world history. Homes were completely leveled, trees were denuded and 1300 people were killed. The WMO rated it as a mid-end F3.

One thing that is noticeable was the coconut tree damage showed in the pictures of 1989 tornado. It had been tested many times that this types of trees would survive under Cat1-3 level hurricanes. Most leaves of the trees would begin to fall under Cat4 level hurricanes and some of coconut trees would been snapped off under Cat5 level hurricanes. >50% coconut trees would been snapped off under high end Cat5 hurricanes.(>155kt). So this indicator can be a good implement to rate some of tornados' intensity in Bangledesh when houses construction are too frail in many occasions.
For 1989 tornado, It can be seen from the limited several pics that coconut trees in most cases wasn't snapped off. Some of them blown down in the first pic. Really can't say it was very strong coconut tree damage anyway.
I am very curious about the 1964/11 tornado. Completely annihilation of the entire village of 400 people was way beyond horrible.

 

[eric11]

Major damage done by the Shawnee OK tornado near Bethel Acres OK on 5/19/2013, the tornado became partly rain-wrapped at this point however meanwhile some of the worst contextual damage were done at this place.Cars were mangled beyond recognition with one of them wrapped around a hardwood tree, hardwood trees and low-lying shrubbs were severly debarked and tangled around granulated debris.Around 30 to 35 mobile homes were just completely vanished here though only EF3 rating was applied.

 

[eric11]

Pretty strange debris pattern left by the Cabarrus NC EF2 on 2/7/2020, this tornado was applied an EF2 rating with wind estimated 125mph, it covered a 6.41mi path with the maximum width reaching only 70 yrds.The tornado dropped in a heavily populated area, minor roof and exterior wall damage were done before the tornado suddenly leveled an big, well-anchored FR12 villa and left an clear debris dragging mark and then quickly vanished. I don't how this could happen, but it weird "pick a house to destroy" feature really reminds me of the Brunswick NC EF3 this year and Rixeyville VA F4 in 2001