Tornado’s Damage to the Economy
- Tornado’s actual cost: $250,000,000
- Cost adjusted to 2019 dollars: $1,657,239,270
The EF5 tornado destroyed 600 apartment units and 430 homes. In total, 8,800 homes were damaged. Additionally, 119 aircraft at the local airport were obliterated, 250 businesses were damaged or destroyed, and approximately 80% of the plate glass windows in the city’s downtown area were smashed. There were a reported 1,500 injuries and 26 deaths. Because the tornado arrived after sunset, no known photographs of it exist.
