1968 Tracy tornado

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1968 Tracy tornado

Date of tornado:

June 13, 1968

Time:

7:04 pm

Rating of tornado:

F5 tornado

Damages:

$43 million (2006 USD)

Fatalities:

9 killed, 150 injured

Area affected:

Southwest Minnesota

The 1968 Tracy tornado was an F5 tornado that struck Tracy, Minnesota on June 13, 1968. The tornado killed nine people and injured 150 others as it tracked 9 miles (14 km) through Murray, Lyon and Redwood counties in southwestern Minnesota.^[1] It is one of only two official F5 tornadoes that have occurred in Minnesota, although several other tornadoes that occurred before 1950 are estimated to have been F5 strength.^[2] The tornado destroyed 111 homes, caused major damage to 76, and minor damage to 114. Five businesses were destroyed and 15 damaged. The elementary school and 106 automobiles were also destroyed. A heavy boxcar was heaved more than a block in the storm. Winds were estimated at 261 to 318 mph.

Sirens sounded in Tracy at 6:55 p.m., just a few minutes before the twister struck. The siren was sounded thanks to a call to the authorities from Delpha (Mrs. Melvin) Koch, who saw the tornado from her rural Garvin home.

The victims of the Tracy tornado were Nancy Vlahos, 2; Walter Swanson, 47; Ella Haney, 84; Mildred Harden, 75; Otelia Werner, 75; Fred Pilatus, 71; Paul Swanson, 60; and Barbara Holbrook, 50. At least 22 people were hospitalized. A monument and engraved plaques stand on the north end of Tracy's Fifth Street in remembrance of the victims.