Documentary Description
Greensburg, Kansas was hit by an EF5 tornado, the most
powerful and devastating storm in American history (destorying 95% of
the city).
At 9:45 p.m. CDT on May 4, 2007, Greensburg was hit by an EF5
tornado. The tornado was estimated to be 1.7 miles (2.7 km) in width
and traveled for nearly 22 miles (35 km). Ninety-five percent of the
city was confirmed to be destroyed, with the other five percent being
severely damaged. The National Weather Service estimated winds of the
tornado to reach 205 mph (330 km/h). This was the first tornado to be
rated EF5 since the update of the Fujita scale. The tornado had caused
EF5 damage to at least one well-built home in Greensburg, and also is
the first “5″ classification since May 3, 1999, when an F5 tornado
ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, as part of the 1999 Oklahoma tornado
outbreak. Tornado sirens sounded in the city twenty minutes before the
tornado struck, and a tornado emergency was issued, which undoubtedly
saved many lives. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and President
George W. Bush both declared Kiowa County a disaster area, which opened
up the affected areas for national and international aid. The
Greensburg tornado was almost the same size as the Cactus, Texas
tornado on April 21, 2007.
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