April 27, 2011: Fifteen years after deadly tornadoes struck Alabama
EF-4 tornado that hit Tuscaloosa on April 27, 2011 – Photo from WAKA Action 8 News
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WAKA) – It’s been 15 years since the deadly tornado outbreak of April 27, 2011, which killed hundreds of people in dozens of tornadoes throughout Alabama.
The National Weather Service says 62 tornadoes touched down that day, killing at least 250 people in Alabama and leaving more than 1,000 others hurt. While the state is a frequent target of tornadoes, April 27 was considered a generational outbreak, reminding people of the worst previous generational outbreak of 1974.
Debris is littered after a tornado hit, Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Caroline Summers)
For most people who were in Alabama in 2011, the most vivid memory is likely the tornado that struck Tuscaloosa, hitting a busy area near the University of Alabama campus. It was classified as an EF-4, with maximum winds of 190 miles per hour. That tornado was on the ground for about 80 miles, hitting Jefferson County after Tuscaloosa County. A total of 65 people were killed in that tornado, with 1,500 others injured.
This is an aerial view of tornado damage and the path the storm took through Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Closer to our area, a tornado hit Elmore and Tallapoosa Counties. It was also an EF-4, with maximum winds of 170 miles per hour. It started north of Wetumpka and went through Lake Martin near Kowaliga and into Chambers County.
One of the hardest-hit areas was the Myers Country Acres mobile home park. Ten mobile homes were destroyed. Overall, that tornado killed seven people, left 30 others injured and caused damage for 44 miles.
Another tornado hit West Alabama. It started in Mississippi as an EF-4, but thankfully weakened to an EF-2 by the time it reached Marengo and Perry counties. At that time, its winds were about 120 miles per hour. Three people were hurt, but no one was killed. It was on the ground for 122 miles from the time it was in Mississippi.
