1898 Fort Smith, Arkansas tornado

Fort Smith, Arkansas tornado

Destroyed homes in Fort Smith
Date(s) January 11-12, 1898
Duration >1 hour
Confirmed tornadoes ≥2
Damages $450,000 (1898 USD)[1]
Casualties 55

The 1898 Fort Smith, Arkansas tornado was a tornado which struck the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas during the night of January 11, 1898. It touched down about 100 miles to the southwest, and struck the city around midnight, killing 55 people and injuring 113. The twister nearly destroyed the city's newly constructed Fort Smith High School that opened in fall 1897.

It is tied for the deadliest tornado ever to strike the state of Arkansas.[2] Another tornado was also reported around 11pm that night in Alma, Arkansas.[3]

References

  1. ↑ http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/026/mwr-026-01-0018.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.tornadoproject.com/alltorns/worstts.htm
  3. ↑ http://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/026/mwr-026-01-0018.pdf