5 of the Worst Kansas Tornadoes Based on Cost of Damage

Though named the "Ruskin Heights" tornado, the twister actually began near Williamsburg.

The tornado impacted areas of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri but this focuses on the areas in Kansas affected.

By the time the storm cleared, it took 44 lives, injured 531 people and did more than $2.5 million worth of damage.

Many households in the storm's path had less than a minute to hunker down because there were no tornado sirens, National Weather Service watches or forecasts, or widespread news coverage during this time. The tornado first touched down two miles southwest of Williamsburg, Kansas.

The tornado brushed the town of Homewood, Kansas as it passed northeast over farmland north and east of Williamsburg. Witnesses recorded several funnels across Homewood, the key one causing major damage starting at the Antioch Cemetery northeast of Homewood. The cemetery's headstones were pulled for miles. 

The tornado then proceeded to skirt the hill on the outskirts of Ottawa, Kansas. The tornado claimed it's first two victims near Ottawa. “We have just this moment received report of a tornado on the ground moving rapidly northeastward at this exact spot,” the US Weather Bureau said of Olathe, which was next in the storm's path.

The tornado next crosses the state line and strikes the Martin City area.

7:50 P.M.

Blocks and blocks of devastation are reported in the Hickman Mills and Ruskin Heights area. According to KMBC, The Weather Bureau said, “Some places the ground was swept clean and cars on both sides of U.S. Highway 71 were tossed about like toys.”

At 9 p.m. the Weather Bureau is finally able to issue the “all-clear” update for the Kansas City metro area.

Beginning just north of Pretty Prairie in Reno County, the tornado entered Harvey County 8 miles southwest of Burrton. In Burrton, a six year old boy who was taking shelter with his family.

In Hesston, the tornado increased in intensity until it was rated an F5 (261-318 mph), causing damage to or destroying 226 homes and 21 businesses in the western parts of town. The tornado persisted northeast after devastating Hesston and inflicting about $25 million in damage in Harvey County alone, before combining with another tornado. Thankfully, despite how tenacious the twister was, there were just 2 causalities and 60 injuries.

When it passed through McPherson County, the tornado began to weaken. However, as the "Hesston Tornado" dissipated, another tornado formed and tracked roughly parallel to it. The two tornadoes inevitably merged into a single massive tornado that made its way into Marion County, killing an elderly woman near Goessel. This hybrid tornado was again rated an F5.

Tornadoes are common in Kansas, but they seldom reach residential areas. In Topeka, the size of this storm was unprecedented. The strong tornado, which was classified as an F5, moved from the southwest to the northeast of the city, killing 17 people and causing more than $104 million in damage.

The tornado lasted 34 minutes and caused destruction in a 21-mile-long and half-mile-wide field. Because of the legend of Burnett's Mound, many people believed such a tornado would never strike Topeka. The mound was said to be holy and to shield Topeka from tornadoes, according to legend. 

The twister caused destruction heading into downtown Topeka. Numerous office buildings were damaged, the National Reserve Building was demolished, and the Kansas State Capitol had a huge hole in it. As the tornado continued to move through the city, a majority portion of Washburn campus was destroyed, leaving students to study online for the next few years. 

The 1966 tornado forever changed the structure of Topeka and those who lived through the storm.

On May 4, 2007, Greensburg, Kansas was hit by an EF 5 tornado that devastated the town, killing 11 people in the town and injuring 63 others. This tornado contributed to setting a record in 2007 for the number of tornadoes in Kansas. 

Supercell thunderstorms formed through the Midwest that evening, producing tornadoes in a number of states. Twelve tornadoes were produced by a powerful supercell that formed southwest of Greensburg. At about 9 p.m., one emerged in northwest Comanche County and passed northeast through Kiowa County. The tornado lasted 65 minutes on the field before striking Greensburg at 9:45 p.m. 

“It didn’t sound like a freight train. The best way I can describe it,drive down the highway at 205 mph, windows down and stick your head out the window. You’ll get the same sound,” said Jeff Blackburn, Pastor of Greensburg Mennonite Church in 2007.

When the damage was actually tallied, the storm had leveled 961 homes and businesses and severely damaged 216 others. A total of 307 homes and structures suffered minor damage. 

The city wanted to reconstruct with the future in mind after the tornado devastated so much of this tiny area. The town now has the world's highest density of LEED-certified green buildings per capita. Greensburg is also one of the country's most energy-efficient cities.

At 5:57 p.m., the strongest tornado in an outbreak struck Clearwater, Kansas, and started a steady march through the Wichita metropolitan area. It cut through southeast Wichita, slammed through the middle of McConnell, and seemed bound for the western half of Andover before taking a sharp right turn and decimating the heavily residential southern portion of the area.

It would stay on the ground for almost 70 miles and more than an hour before lifting five miles north of El Dorado. The tornado, which wreaked havoc in Andover and southeastern Sedgwick County, weighed F5 on the Fujita scale and was up to 500 yards across at its peak. It claimed the lives of 17 people, including 13 at the Golden Spur mobile home park in Andover and four in Sedgwick County's unincorporated areas.

Because of the lack of planning, the storm made an even stronger impact. Since Andover was so reliant on Wichita, there was no emergency system. Over his loudspeaker, a police officer rode through suburban neighborhoods, urging residents to take shelter. Debris quickly clogged the streets, making it impossible for rescue services to reach those in need.

The tornado damaged or killed 102 housing units and nine main buildings on the site, including the hospital, library, and enlisted club, as it made its way through the Air Force Base. Some speculated that the base would be shut down due to the substantial destruction. Officials quickly declared, however, that the buildings that had been weakened and/or demolished would be restored. Though this storm was extremely unfortunate, it encourage the cities of Andover and Wichita to better themselves and be more prepared for something like this to occur in the future. 

“Ruskin Heights Tornado Took 44 Lives, Injured 531 People 63 Years Ago.” Kmbc.Com, 20 May 2020, www.kmbc.com/article/ruskin-heights-tornado-took-44-lives-injured-531-people-63-years-ago-kansas-city/27530051#.

Kansas Historical Society. “Topeka Tornado 1966 - Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society.” Kshs.Org, July 2011, www.kshs.org/kansapedia/topeka-tornado-1966/17242.

National Weather Service. “Info on the March 13th 1990 Hesston KS Tornado.” Weather.Gov, www.weather.gov/ict/hesston. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

National Weather Service. “Ruskin Heights Tornado of May 20 1957.” Weather.Gov, www.weather.gov/eax/RuskinHeights#:%7E:text=The%20Ruskin%20Heights%20tornado%20was,diameter%20that%20struck%20Concordia%2C%20Kansas. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.

Sommerfeld, Rachel. “May 4, 2007 Tornado Devastates Greensburg.” Ksn.Com, 22 Feb. 2015, www.ksn.com/news/may-4-2007-tornado-devastates-greensburg.

Finger, Stan. “1991 Twister Reshaped Andover, McConnell.” Kansas.Com, 25 Apr. 2011, www.kansas.com/news/local/article1062349.html.

National Weather Service. “Top Ten KS Tornadoes.” Weather.Gov, www.weather.gov/ict/toptenkstors. Accessed 21 Apr. 2021.