Hurricane Katrina tornado outbreak facts for kids
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The Hurricane Katrina tornado outbreak was a series of powerful tornadoes that hit the eastern United States between August 29 and 31, 2005. These tornadoes were mostly caused by the outer parts of Hurricane Katrina as it moved across the country.
Sadly, one person lost their life during this event. Many towns and areas from central Mississippi all the way to Pennsylvania were damaged. Georgia was hit the hardest, experiencing the worst tornado outbreak ever recorded there in the month of August.
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What Happened During the Tornado Outbreak?
A total of 44 tornadoes were confirmed during this outbreak. Most of them happened in Georgia (18 tornadoes) and Mississippi (11 tornadoes). There were also 5 tornadoes each in Virginia and Pennsylvania, and 4 in Alabama. One tornado even touched down in Florida a few days before the main outbreak began.
Tornadoes are measured using the Fujita scale, which rates them from F0 (weakest) to F5 (strongest). Most of the tornadoes in this outbreak were F0, F1, or F2.
Tornadoes in Florida
The first tornado linked to Hurricane Katrina happened in Marathon, Florida, on August 26. It damaged parts of the Florida Keys Marathon Airport, including 11 airplanes, and also affected two homes.
Tornadoes in Mississippi
On August 29, Mississippi saw 11 tornadoes. The first one developed near Marion. It didn't damage buildings but knocked down many trees. Other tornadoes in Mississippi caused minor damage to small buildings and homes. For example, in Deweese, one mobile home was destroyed by a falling tree.
Tornadoes in Alabama
Alabama was hit by 4 tornadoes on August 29. Near Reeltown, several homes were damaged by falling trees. In Cecil, some mobile homes were badly damaged, and many trees fell.
Tornadoes in Georgia
Georgia experienced the most tornadoes, with 18, between August 29 and 30.
Roopville Area Tornado
One of the most serious tornadoes was an F2 that hit the Roopville area. Sadly, this tornado caused one death and injured three people when it destroyed a mobile home. It also badly damaged several other homes and destroyed at least eight chicken barns, killing many chickens.
Other Georgia Tornadoes
Other tornadoes in Georgia caused various types of damage. In New Georgia, about 45 homes had minor damage, some from fallen trees. An F2 tornado in Fort Valley caused significant damage, almost destroying a credit union and damaging several homes. One person was injured there. The longest tornado path in Georgia was 10 miles (16 km) long, stretching from Lula to Mossy Creek, causing widespread minor damage, mostly from fallen trees.
Helen Tornado
Another F2 tornado hit Helen, a tourist town. It caused significant damage to many buildings, with some almost completely destroyed. Many trees and power lines were also damaged, cutting off power for up to 48 hours.
Tornadoes in Virginia
Virginia had 5 tornadoes between August 30 and 31. Many of these tornadoes caused heavy damage to trees. For example, near Doylesville, many trees fell, with some landing on a large house. In Marshall, several small buildings were destroyed, and at least 15 homes had minor damage, mostly from fallen trees.
Tornadoes in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania also saw 5 tornadoes on August 31. These tornadoes caused structural damage to homes and destroyed several barns, especially in areas like Middle Creek. Near Gettysburg, several barns and small buildings were severely damaged along a highway.
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