27:
208:
to-day the path of a recent tornado, which had prostrated trees and cane on the river banks. Its course was observed to be from south 72 degrees west to north 72 degrees east, and the track to be from 300–400 yards wide. This was supposed to be the same tornado which occasioned such dreadful destruction of human lives and houses in
Natchez on the 7th of May." These observations were made on the
182:
village of
Vidalia. It was reported, "the air was black with whirling eddies of walls, roofs, chimneys and huge timbers from distant ruins ... all shot through the air as if thrown from a mighty catapult." The central and northern portions of Natchez were slammed by the funnel and many buildings were
207:
Senate
Document No. 199 (27th Congress, 2nd Session) was the report of the commission to fix the demarcation between the United States and the Republic of Texas. In the Journal of the Joint Commission under date of May 26, 1840, at page 62 of said document, is written the following: "We crossed
203:
The final death toll was 48 on land (with 47 deaths in
Natchez and one in Vidalia) and 269 on the river, mostly from the sinking of flatboats. In addition to the 317 deaths, only 109 were injured, a testament to the tornado's intensity. The tornado is to this day ranked
177:
window was reportedly found 30 miles (48 km) from the river. Many doing business on shore were also killed. At
Natchez Landing, the destruction of dwellings, stores, steamboats and flatboats was almost complete. It then moved into the town of Natchez, though its full width of devastation also
194:
stated, "Reports have come in from plantations 20 miles distant in
Louisiana, and the rage of the tempest was terrible. Hundreds of (slaves) killed, dwellings swept like chaff from their foundations, the forest uprooted, and the crops beaten down and destroyed. Never, never, never, was there such
409:
Government weather agencies have no idea where on the Fujita scale of F1 to F6 the tornado would rank, though it seems likely that its devastation would certainly equal an F5, the highest ever recorded, which carries winds of 207–260
26:
144:
F4 tornado on the Fujita scale. Its 35-mile-long (56 km), 1,000-yard-wide (910 m; 3,000 ft; 0.57 mi; 0.91 km) path was marked by severe damage and uncertain estimates of casualties, though many
204:
as the second deadliest in
American history, and caused $ 1,260,000 in damage. The actual death toll may be higher than what is listed, as slave deaths were often not counted during this time period.
169:. It followed the river directly, stripping forests from both shores. The vortex then struck the river-port of Natchez Landing, located below the bluff from Natchez. This windstorm tossed 116
1151:
890:
140:
history; at least 317 people were killed and at least 109 were injured. While officially unrated, it is retrospectively estimated to have been at least a
173:(of the 120 docked at Natchez that day) into the river, drowning their crews and passengers. Other boats were picked up and thrown onto land. A piece of a
760:
224:
1033:
1023:
1008:
1003:
313:
215:
Regarding a final death count, CNN reported "The official death toll may not have included slaves, according to the
Federal Emergency Management Agency."
619:
240:
150:
1131:
363:
883:
452:
755:
750:
876:
745:
146:
1176:
612:
572:
546:
245:
998:
605:
209:
1171:
515:
492:
229:
1161:
1156:
183:
completely destroyed. Forty-eight people were killed on land, and 269 others were killed on the river.
1013:
780:
321:
993:
461:
1181:
538:
770:
187:
735:
234:
186:
Numerous other deaths may have occurred further along the path as the tornado struck rural portions of
1166:
775:
371:
1186:
343:
141:
1018:
507:
484:
1038:
1028:
416:
162:
125:
32:
8:
765:
396:
237:(1925) – The deadliest tornado in U.S. history as well as the second deadliest worldwide
588:
527:
443:
111:
388:
542:
511:
488:
465:
166:
52:
868:
534:
457:
597:
1145:
137:
56:
71:
129:
107:
470:
560:. St. Johnsbury, Vermont: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films.
179:
174:
103:
504:
Significant
Tornadoes 1680–1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events
161:
This massive tornado formed approximately twenty miles southwest of
170:
900:
629:
133:
165:, shortly before 1 p.m., and moved northeast along the
149:—possibly numbering in the hundreds—reportedly died on
1132:
List of tornadoes causing 100 or more deaths#Tornadoes
279:
225:
List of North
American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks
212:, which is the boundary between Louisiana and Texas.
1152:
Tornado outbreaks with no Fujita scale ratings given
898:
291:
526:
266:All losses are in 1840 USD unless otherwise noted.
35:, likely painted shortly before the Great Tornado
1143:
361:
627:
241:Tornado outbreak sequence of December 1–6, 1953
510:: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films.
487:: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films.
1128:†Death toll may be higher for various reasons
884:
613:
746:St. Louis, Missouri/East St. Louis, Illinois
736:"Tri-State" (Missouri, Illinois and Indiana)
891:
877:
620:
606:
344:"The Natchez, Mississippi tornado of 1840"
341:
25:
555:
524:
469:
417:"The 10 deadliest US tornadoes on record"
285:
95:$ 1.26 million ($ 38,460,000 in 2024 USD)
999:Missouri/Illinois/Indiana, United States
529:The Tornado: Nature's Ultimate Windstorm
501:
478:
448:Violent Tornado Climatography, 1880–1982
442:
336:
297:
1004:Manikganj/Singair/Nawabganj, Bangladesh
1144:
1019:Jamalpur/Sirajganj/Tangail, Bangladesh
303:
16:Violent F4+ tornado in Mississippi, US
1134:for the sources for this information.
872:
601:
260:
132:, on Thursday, May 7, 1840. The
771:Amite, Louisiana/Purvis, Mississippi
368:The Weather Doctor's Weather Almanac
246:1953 Vicksburg, Mississippi, tornado
156:
136:was the second-deadliest tornado in
580:Costliest U.S. tornadoes on record
389:"The Great Natchez Tornado of 1840"
320:. December 13, 2004. Archived from
13:
386:
14:
1198:
230:1846 Grenada, Mississippi tornado
364:"The Great 1940 Natchez Tornado"
362:Keith C. Heidorn (May 1, 2005).
1177:History of Natchez, Mississippi
481:Significant Tornadoes 1880–1989
1024:Madaripur/Shibchar, Bangladesh
1:
994:Daultipur/Saturia, Bangladesh
462:Nuclear Regulatory Commission
407:– via City of Natchez.
273:
87:317+ fatalities, 109+ injured
539:University of Oklahoma Press
198:
7:
456:(Technical report). NUREG.
218:
188:Concordia Parish, Louisiana
178:included the river and the
110:, particularly in and near
10:
1203:
436:
342:James Hyde (May 7, 2017).
235:Tri-State tornado outbreak
1124:
1034:Magura/Narail, Bangladesh
908:
636:
585:
578:
569:
479:— (November 1990).
99:
91:
83:
78:
68:
63:
47:
40:
24:
1172:Tornadoes in Mississippi
253:
1014:Port of Valletta, Malta
776:New Richmond, Wisconsin
348:United States Tornadoes
51:May 7, 1840, 1:01 p.m.
1162:1840 natural disasters
1157:19th-century tornadoes
1126:*Some sources say 1556
1039:Natchez, United States
508:St. Johnsbury, Vermont
485:St. Johnsbury, Vermont
393:The Concordia Sentinel
314:"1840 Natchez Tornado"
195:desolation and ruin."
42:Meteorological history
502:— (July 1993).
318:Natchez City Cemetery
122:Great Natchez tornado
20:Great Natchez tornado
756:Gainesville, Georgia
741:Natchez, Mississippi
1182:1840 in Mississippi
1061:September 23, 1551*
751:Tupelo, Mississippi
573:New Brunswick, N.J.
444:Grazulis, Thomas P.
419:. CNN. May 23, 2019
397:Ferriday, Louisiana
31:View of Natchez by
21:
761:Woodward, Oklahoma
628:10 deadliest U.S.
399:: Hanna Newspapers
309:Multiple sources:
19:
1139:
1138:
1119:
1118:
1009:Dhaka, Bangladesh
866:
865:
861:
860:
596:
595:
586:Succeeded by
556:— (2001b).
548:978-0-8061-3538-0
525:— (2001a).
387:Nelson, Stanley.
167:Mississippi River
157:Event description
147:enslaved Africans
118:
117:
1194:
1167:1840 meteorology
1070:December 8, 1851
911:
910:
893:
886:
879:
870:
869:
766:Joplin, Missouri
639:
638:
622:
615:
608:
599:
598:
570:Preceded by
567:
566:
561:
552:
532:
521:
498:
475:
473:
458:Washington, D.C.
431:
428:
426:
424:
412:
406:
404:
383:
381:
379:
370:. Archived from
358:
356:
354:
333:
331:
329:
324:on July 14, 2011
307:
301:
295:
289:
283:
267:
264:
43:
29:
22:
18:
1202:
1201:
1197:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1187:May 1840 events
1142:
1141:
1140:
1135:
1129:
1127:
1120:
1115:
1079:
1043:
987:
973:
964:
904:
897:
867:
862:
857:
821:
785:
781:Flint, Michigan
729:
645:Name (location)
632:
626:
592:
582:
576:
558:F5–F6 Tornadoes
549:
518:
495:
483:. Vol. 2.
439:
434:
422:
420:
415:
402:
400:
377:
375:
374:on May 19, 2019
352:
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327:
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308:
304:
296:
292:
284:
280:
276:
271:
270:
265:
261:
256:
221:
201:
159:
79:Overall effects
41:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1200:
1190:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1137:
1136:
1125:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1116:
1114:
1113:
1110:
1107:
1104:
1101:
1098:
1095:
1092:
1089:
1086:
1082:
1080:
1078:
1077:
1074:
1073:April 11, 1964
1071:
1068:
1065:
1062:
1059:
1058:April 14, 1969
1056:
1055:April 17, 1973
1053:
1052:March 18, 1925
1050:
1049:April 26, 1989
1046:
1044:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1029:Marsala, Italy
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
1006:
1001:
996:
990:
988:
986:
985:
978:
975:
966:
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950:
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936:
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921:
918:
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905:
896:
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888:
881:
873:
864:
863:
859:
858:
856:
855:
852:
849:
846:
843:
840:
837:
834:
831:
828:
824:
822:
820:
819:
816:
813:
812:April 24, 1908
810:
807:
804:
801:
798:
795:
792:
791:March 18, 1925
788:
786:
784:
783:
778:
773:
768:
763:
758:
753:
748:
743:
738:
732:
730:
728:
727:
720:
713:
706:
699:
692:
685:
678:
671:
664:
656:
653:
652:
649:
646:
643:
637:
634:
633:
625:
624:
617:
610:
602:
594:
593:
589:Grinnell, Iowa
587:
584:
577:
571:
565:
564:
563:
562:
553:
547:
522:
516:
499:
493:
438:
435:
433:
432:
430:
429:
413:
384:
359:
339:
334:
302:
290:
286:Grazulis 2001b
277:
275:
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269:
268:
258:
257:
255:
252:
251:
250:
249:
248:
238:
232:
227:
220:
217:
200:
197:
158:
155:
153:in Louisiana.
116:
115:
101:
100:Areas affected
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
85:
81:
80:
76:
75:
66:
65:
61:
60:
49:
45:
44:
38:
37:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1199:
1188:
1185:
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1178:
1175:
1173:
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1165:
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1155:
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1147:
1133:
1123:
1111:
1108:
1105:
1102:
1099:
1096:
1093:
1090:
1087:
1084:
1083:
1081:
1075:
1072:
1069:
1067:April 1, 1977
1066:
1063:
1060:
1057:
1054:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1015:
1012:
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1007:
1005:
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1000:
997:
995:
992:
991:
989:
984:
983:
979:
976:
972:
971:
967:
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962:
958:
956:
955:
951:
949:
948:
944:
942:
941:
937:
935:
934:
930:
929:
927:
926:
922:
919:
917:Area affected
916:
913:
912:
907:
902:
899:10 deadliest
894:
889:
887:
882:
880:
875:
874:
871:
853:
850:
847:
844:
841:
838:
835:
832:
829:
826:
825:
823:
817:
815:June 12, 1899
814:
811:
808:
806:April 9, 1947
805:
803:April 6, 1936
802:
800:April 5, 1936
799:
796:
793:
790:
789:
787:
782:
779:
777:
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772:
769:
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764:
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742:
739:
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734:
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631:
623:
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611:
609:
604:
603:
600:
590:
581:
574:
568:
559:
554:
550:
544:
540:
536:
531:
530:
523:
519:
517:1-879362-03-1
513:
509:
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494:1-879362-02-3
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467:
463:
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454:
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418:
414:
411:
398:
394:
390:
385:
373:
369:
365:
360:
349:
345:
340:
338:
337:Grazulis 1993
335:
323:
319:
315:
311:
310:
306:
299:
298:Grazulis 1993
294:
288:, p. 10.
287:
282:
278:
263:
259:
247:
244:
243:
242:
239:
236:
233:
231:
228:
226:
223:
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216:
213:
211:
205:
196:
193:
190:as well. The
189:
184:
181:
176:
172:
168:
164:
154:
152:
148:
143:
139:
138:United States
135:
131:
127:
123:
113:
109:
105:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
82:
77:
74:
73:
67:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
39:
34:
28:
23:
1064:May 13, 1996
981:
980:
969:
968:
960:
959:
953:
952:
946:
945:
939:
938:
932:
931:
818:June 8, 1953
809:May 22, 2011
797:May 27, 1896
740:
723:
722:
716:
715:
709:
708:
702:
701:
695:
694:
688:
687:
681:
680:
674:
673:
667:
666:
660:
659:
583:May 7, 1840
579:
557:
528:
503:
480:
451:
447:
446:(May 1984).
421:. Retrieved
408:
401:. Retrieved
392:
376:. Retrieved
372:the original
367:
351:. Retrieved
347:
326:. Retrieved
322:the original
317:
305:
293:
281:
262:
214:
210:Sabine River
206:
202:
191:
185:
160:
121:
119:
72:Fujita scale
69:
1076:May 7, 1840
794:May 7, 1840
423:12 November
403:12 November
378:12 November
353:12 November
328:12 November
192:Free Trader
151:plantations
130:Mississippi
114:and Natchez
108:Mississippi
64:F4+ tornado
33:Henry Lewis
1146:Categories
923:Death toll
474:. CR-3670.
274:References
84:Fatalities
903:worldwide
901:tornadoes
630:tornadoes
199:Aftermath
180:Louisiana
175:steamboat
171:flatboats
104:Louisiana
57:UTC−06:00
219:See also
471:7099491
437:Sources
163:Natchez
142:violent
134:tornado
126:Natchez
112:Vidalia
70:on the
1085:1,300†
651:Deaths
591:(1882)
575:(1835)
545:
535:Norman
514:
491:
468:
92:Damage
48:Formed
977:- - -
974:- - -
965:- - -
254:Notes
1130:See
1112:317†
1106:500†
1100:600†
1097:600†
1088:695†
920:Date
914:Rank
648:Date
642:Rank
543:ISBN
512:ISBN
489:ISBN
466:OSTI
453:OSTI
425:2023
410:mph.
405:2023
380:2023
355:2023
330:2023
124:hit
120:The
106:and
1109:500
1103:500
1094:660
1091:681
854:116
851:117
848:143
845:158
842:184
839:203
836:216
833:255
830:317
827:695
53:CST
1148::
982:10
724:10
541:.
537::
533:.
506:.
464:.
460::
450:.
395:.
391:.
366:.
346:.
316:.
128:,
970:7
961:5
954:4
947:3
940:2
933:1
892:e
885:t
878:v
717:9
710:8
703:7
696:6
689:5
682:4
675:3
668:2
661:1
621:e
614:t
607:v
551:.
520:.
497:.
427:.
382:.
357:.
332:.
300:.
59:)
55:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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