The estimated EF4 tornado that destroyed a major part of Joplin, Mo., was not on the ground for very long. Yet it was one of the deadliest tornadoes to strike the United States in its history, killing at least 116.
Here's a look at the massive Joplin tornado, by the numbers.
198: The number of miles per hour the winds reached in the tornado. That puts the rating at an EF4 on the Fujita Scale.
6: The number of miles long the path of destruction followed. The six miles would run the entire width of the city. The tornado was at least three-fourths of a mile wide at one point and scattered debris well beyond the most intense areas of destruction.
17: The number of city blocks decimated by the most intense damage. The Neosho Daily News reports the most severe damage occurred between 15th and 32nd streets from west to east across the city. The tornado leveled houses and the heart of the retail district on the east side of town along Range Line Road.
2,000: The number of buildings damaged by the tornado. Included in the figure is Joplin High School, one of two Walmarts in the city, Home Depot, Lowe's, and St. John's Regional Medical Center. Most of the damaged and destroyed buildings were homes and residences.
30: The percent of Joplin destroyed by the tornado, according to Gov. Jay Nixon. The figure includes structures made uninhabitable by the deadly twister. CNN reports a Red Cross employee estimated as much as 75 percent of the city was destroyed.
49,024: The resident population of Joplin. During the day time when more people work at local businesses and factories, the population swells to almost 270,000. Many plants were in shut down mode and there were fewer people in the city. Otherwise the death toll could have been much, much worse.
70: The number of miles away debris has been found. Medical records such as x-rays and promotional materials from St. John's hospital, pictures, papers, and even a baseball were flung between 60 and 70 miles from their points of origin. It shows the intensity and raw power behind the massive tornado.
1,000: The number of firefighters and emergency personnel who have converged on the city to try to find survivors. Once the tornado struck, a call went out to any available personnel with medical experience or search and rescue training because normal city officials were completely overwhelmed.
18,000: The number of customers without electricity 12 hours after the storms blew through Joplin, according to USA Today. Electrical infrastructure has been dealt a huge blow as power poles were snapped like match sticks and power lines were laying over streets and yards. It may be weeks before normal levels of electrical output return to the city.
William Browning lives in Branson, Mo.
