How Many Records Did the Tri-State Tornado Set In 1925 When It Hit Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana?

Murphysboro, Illinois, holds the sad record of being the U.S. city to have the most people killed in a tornado.

In March 1925 a total of 234 people died in and around Murphysboro in the most destructive tornado ever in the United States.

Known as the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, it set several other U.S. tornado records, including the longest continuous track on the ground (219 mi/353 km) and its duration (3.5 hours).

This tornado formed over southeastern Missouri and proceeded to storm across southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana at speeds that sometimes exceeded 300 miles (483 km) per hour.

When it was over, the tornado had killed 695 people, injured more than 2,000, and destroyed 15,000 homes in those three states.