Tornado "Longest and widest"
The April 9, 1947 tornado slashed a deadly 221-mile path across Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. "The longest, widest and most destructive tornado ever to occur in this area"
169 dead, 890 injured, and $9,700,000 in estimated property damage.
In Oklahoma, 101 persons died--95 at Woodward, the others in Gage and Shattuck.
In Texas, 68 fatally injured--51 at Higgins and 16 at Glazier. Both towns virtually obliterated.
First reported at 5:52 p.m. CST a half mile southeast of White Deer, Texas and disappeared 6 miles north of Nashville, Kansas (Whitehorse) about 11:00 p.m.
In Woodward, the path was 1.8 miles wide, "one of the widest on record." Forward movement of the storm averaged 42 miles per hour.
Few reports were received from persons actually observing the tornado due to fog, low clouds, and darkness. It could be seen during lightning flashes. The noise compared to the sound of a fast moving freight train.
Between 4,000 and 5,000 buildings destroyed or damaged, including 626 houses razed and 920 damaged
Woodward - 430 homes demolished and 650 damaged.
Ellis County - 52 homes destroyed and 133 damaged.
Woods County - 25 destroyed and 25 damaged.
Lipscomb County, Texas - 83 homes leveled and 116 damaged.
Hempill County, Texas - 36 flattened and 1 damaged.
Property losses reported by Red Cross
Woodward County $6,608,750 Ellis County 1,264,000 Woods County 150,000 Oklahoma total 8,022,750 Texas losses 1,505,000 Kansas damage 200,000
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