Waverly, Louisiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Waverly, Louisiana
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 Waverly, Louisiana
Location in Louisiana
Waverly, Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Louisiana |
| Parish | Madison |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 556375 |
Waverly is a small place in Madison Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is known as an unincorporated community. This means it is a group of homes and businesses that is not officially a town or city. Instead, it is part of a larger local government area.
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What is an Unincorporated Community?
An unincorporated community is a place where people live that does not have its own local government. It does not have a mayor or a city council. Instead, it is governed by the larger county or parish it is in. For Waverly, that is Madison Parish.
- People in unincorporated communities still get services. These services include things like police, fire, and roads.
- These services are usually provided by the county or parish government.
- Many small communities across the United States are unincorporated.
The Great Waverly Tornado of 1971
On Sunday, February 21, 1971, a very powerful tornado hit Waverly. This tornado was one of the strongest ever recorded. It was part of a larger storm system that caused many tornadoes that day.
What is an F5 Tornado?
The tornado that hit Waverly was an F5 tornado. The "F" stands for the Fujita scale, which measures tornado strength. The Fujita scale goes from F0 to F5.
- An F0 tornado is the weakest, causing light damage.
- An F5 tornado is the strongest, causing incredible damage.
- An F5 tornado has wind speeds of 261 to 318 miles per hour (420 to 512 kilometers per hour).
- These winds can lift strong frame houses off their foundations. They can also throw cars and other large objects far away.
Impact of the Tornado
The 1971 tornado was very large and traveled a long distance. It caused a lot of destruction in Waverly and nearby areas. Such powerful storms are rare, but they can have a huge impact on communities.
- Tornadoes form from powerful thunderstorms.
- They are rotating columns of air that stretch from a thunderstorm to the ground.
- Scientists study tornadoes to better understand them. This helps to warn people when they are coming.
