1980 Kalamazoo tornado

The Kalamazoo Tornado of 1980 struck downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Tuesday, May 13, 1980. The tornado, which touched down at 4:09 pm, was rated F3 on the Fujita scale. The tornado killed 5 people and injured 79. Damage was estimated at $50,000,000.[1]

Kalamazoo Tornado of 1980
F3 tornado
FormedMay 13, 1980 (1980-05-13), 4:09 pm EDT
Max. rating1F3 tornado
Damage$50,000,000
Casualties5 fatalities
Areas affectedKalamazoo, Michigan, United States
1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale
Map of the tornado path.

The tornado left a path of destruction 11 miles (18 km) long during its approximately 20-minute duration.[2] It was notable for having struck the heart of downtown, damaging or destroying many notable buildings, parks, and landmarks. The massive F3 caused a power outage so extensive, phone companies pleaded for people to only use phones for emergencies. In total, the storm caused 5 deaths, 79 injuries, and about 1,200 people were left homeless.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Kalamazoo 1980 Tornado". Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Genealogy and Local History. Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. Retrieved July 30, 2006.
  2. "TWISTER! The 1980 Tornado". Kalamazoo Public Library – Local History. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2010.
  3. "TORNADO!". Vanished Kalamazoo. Archived from the original on September 8, 2006. Retrieved July 30, 2006.


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