| 2006 Saroma tornado | |
| Date: | November 7, 2006 |
| Time: | 4:25 UTC (1:25 pm local time) |
| Rating: | F3 tornado |
| Damages: | Not yet available |
| Casualties: | 9 (26 injuries) |
| Area affected: | Saroma, Hokkaidō, Japan |
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On November 7, 2006, a deadly tornado struck the town of Saroma, Hokkaidō in northern Japan. The tornado destroyed ten buildings.[1] Nine people are confirmed dead and 26 people injured (7 seriously) as of November 9, 2006 [1]. Most of the casualties occurred at the work site for a tunnel, where the storm swept over prefabricated housing that was being used by workers. The Japan Meteorological Agency says the tornado is the deadliest ever recorded in Japan.[2]
The previous recent most deadly tornado occurred September 18, 2006, killing three people on the southern island of Kyūshū. The agency's records only go back to 1961, however. The previous deadliest tornado struck Toyohashi City, Aichi Prefecture in 1941, killing 12; and the deadliest killed 16 in Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture in 1881.[3]
The November tornado also took out power to approximately 600 homes and destroyed 40 separate buildings.[2] The meteorological agency estimates a wind speed for the tornado at more than F2 on the Fujita scale.[4] The tornado was later confirmed as an F3.