1938 Rodessa, Louisiana tornado: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Violent F4 tornado in Louisiana, US}} |
{{Short description|Violent F4 tornado in Louisiana, US}} |
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{{Infobox weather event |
{{Infobox weather event |
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| name = 1938 Rodessa, Louisiana tornado |
| name = 1938 Rodessa, Louisiana tornado |
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| image = File: |
| image = File:Rodessa, Louisiana tornado damages.jpg |
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| caption = |
| caption = Aerial view of Rodessa after the disaster. |
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| formed = February 17, 1938, 9:45 p.m. [[Central Time Zone|CST]] ([[UTC−06:00]]) |
| formed = February 17, 1938, 9:45 p.m. [[Central Time Zone|CST]] ([[UTC−06:00]]) |
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}}{{Infobox weather event/Tornado |
}}{{Infobox weather event/Tornado |
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| fujita-scale = F4 |
| fujita-scale = F4 |
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}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects |
}}{{Infobox weather event/Effects |
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| fatalities = 21 |
| fatalities = 21 ±1-2 fatalities, 24+ injured |
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| damages = $500,000 in 1938<ref>{{cite web |title=Half Million Dollar Damage |url=http://www.genealogybank.com/gbnk/newspapers/doc/v2:138F0D9908AC8D5F@GBNEWS-13AA0E9CC19D1BDC@2428949-13A82FACEEA2F850@1-13AC0E374B85C888@/ |website=Genealogy Bank |publisher=Baton Rouge Morning Advocate |access-date=December 21, 2024 |date=February 19, 1938}}</ref> |
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| damages = Uknown |
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| affected = [[Rodessa, Louisiana]] |
| affected = [[Rodessa, Louisiana]] |
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}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer}} |
}}{{Infobox weather event/Footer}} |
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The '''Rodessa, Louisiana tornado''' hit [[Rodessa, Louisiana]] on |
The '''Rodessa, Louisiana tornado''' hit [[Rodessa, Louisiana|Rodessa]] on February 17, 1938. Believed to be one of the ten earliest [[calendar year]] tornados in Louisiana history, the F4 left an estimated 21 people dead and upwards of 24 people injured. |
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== Event description == |
== Event description == |
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The rural location of the event has left a lot of the facts up for speculation. Despite this, it is believed that the tornado formed in the northern portion of [[Caddo Parish]] or possibly [[Miller County, Arkansas]]. The tornado moved south before changing direction and striking the town from the east at 9:45 pm. The tornado destroyed the entire southeastern portion of the town or what was once known as "Supply House Row", knocking over power lines and leaving an estimated 200 yard path of decimation in its wake. It is stated that the tornado only lasted two minutes, but was followed by heavy rains that would impede the search for victims amongst the rubble.<ref>{{cite web |author1=GCWX Director of Public Relations |title=85th Anniversary of F-4 Tornado, in Rodessa, La. |url=https://stormcastforums.com/thread/6920/85th-anniversary-tornado-rodessa-la |website=stormcastforums |publisher=Gulf Coast Weather, GCWX |access-date=December 21, 2024 |date=February 18, 2023}}</ref> Only one tornado was confirmed. Despite the damage to power lines, the telephone lines were fully operational and residents began phoning nearby villages for assistance. |
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This massive tornado formed approximately twenty miles southwest of [[Natchez, Mississippi|Natchez]], shortly before 1 p.m., and moved northeast along the [[Mississippi River]]. 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 [[flatboat]]s (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 [[steamboat]] window was reportedly found {{convert|30|mi|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 included the river and the [[Louisiana]] 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 completely destroyed. Forty-eight people were killed on land, and 269 others were killed on the river.{{sfn|Grazulis|1993}} |
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[[File:Tornado Strikes Rodessa 1938.jpg|thumb|Front page of the Shreveport Times the morning after the tornado.]] |
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Numerous other deaths may have occurred further along the path as the tornado struck rural portions of [[Concordia Parish, Louisiana]] as well. The ''Free Trader'' 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 desolation and ruin." |
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== Aftermath == |
== Aftermath == |
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Immediately following the event, residents began carrying the injured to nearby settlements such as [[Vivian, Louisiana|Vivian]] to the south and [[Atlanta, Texas]] to the west for medical care. By 10:30 pm 16 medical staff were sent from the Charity Hospital in [[Shreveport]]. By 2:00 am on February 18th, the power was restored. It is thought around this time that then Governor of Louisiana [[Richard W. Leche]] was informed of the situation in [[Baton Rouge]]. He was known to have said to the [[Shreveport Times]] "That was an awful thing―a terrible disaster. Anything the state can do to help the people up there, we will be glad to do".<ref>{{cite web |title=Tornado Kills 25; Injured 41 |url=https://dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu/DI/1938/di1938-02-19.pdf |website=dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu |publisher=The Daily Iowan |access-date=December 21, 2024 |date=February 19, 1938}}</ref> At 2:45 am, twenty national guardsmen were sent to assist with patrol work in conjuction with local and [[Louisiana State Police|state police]]. |
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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 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. |
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Later into the morning and the subsequent days the true destruction of the tornado was revealed. Multiple homes and businesses were flattened, with one car being picked up and thrown on top of the wreckage. A doctor from Vivian named Edgar Galloway said that some of the dead were so disfigured that identification would be difficult. It is thought that the final death toll was 21 ±1-2 people with the number of injuries being less certain. The Shreveport Times claims that the injury count following the event was 24, while other sources state that the number was as high as 60.<ref>{{cite web |title=20 DIE IN LOUISIANA TORNADO: RIPS THROUGH OIL TOWN; SIXTY ARE INJURED Many Crushed Under Wrecked Buildings. |url=https://www.proquest.com/hnpchicagotribune/docview/182006497/C5658651CD0A4E75PQ/1?accountid=303&sourcetype=Historical%20Newspapers |website=ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=December 21, 2024 |date=February 18, 1938}}</ref> These numbers were likely worsened by the weak infrastructure of the town as it was observed that the pieces of [[sheet metal]] that made up many homes played a roll in much of the disfigurments. |
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== References == |
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{{Reflist}} |
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[[Category:Tornadoes in Louisiana]] |
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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: |
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[[Category:F4 tornadoes by date]] |
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"We crossed 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 {{convert|300|–|400|yds|m|abbr=off|sp=us|disp=sqbr}} 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 [[Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana)|Sabine River]], which is the boundary between Louisiana and Texas. |
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Revision as of 09:13, 22 December 2024
 Aerial view of Rodessa after the disaster. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | February 17, 1938, 9:45 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00) |
| F4 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 21 ±1-2 fatalities, 24+ injured |
| Damage | $500,000 in 1938[1] |
| Areas affected | Rodessa, Louisiana |
The Rodessa, Louisiana tornado hit Rodessa on February 17, 1938. Believed to be one of the ten earliest calendar year tornados in Louisiana history, the F4 left an estimated 21 people dead and upwards of 24 people injured.
Event description
The rural location of the event has left a lot of the facts up for speculation. Despite this, it is believed that the tornado formed in the northern portion of Caddo Parish or possibly Miller County, Arkansas. The tornado moved south before changing direction and striking the town from the east at 9:45 pm. The tornado destroyed the entire southeastern portion of the town or what was once known as "Supply House Row", knocking over power lines and leaving an estimated 200 yard path of decimation in its wake. It is stated that the tornado only lasted two minutes, but was followed by heavy rains that would impede the search for victims amongst the rubble.[2] Only one tornado was confirmed. Despite the damage to power lines, the telephone lines were fully operational and residents began phoning nearby villages for assistance.
Aftermath
Immediately following the event, residents began carrying the injured to nearby settlements such as Vivian to the south and Atlanta, Texas to the west for medical care. By 10:30 pm 16 medical staff were sent from the Charity Hospital in Shreveport. By 2:00 am on February 18th, the power was restored. It is thought around this time that then Governor of Louisiana Richard W. Leche was informed of the situation in Baton Rouge. He was known to have said to the Shreveport Times "That was an awful thing―a terrible disaster. Anything the state can do to help the people up there, we will be glad to do".[3] At 2:45 am, twenty national guardsmen were sent to assist with patrol work in conjuction with local and state police.
Later into the morning and the subsequent days the true destruction of the tornado was revealed. Multiple homes and businesses were flattened, with one car being picked up and thrown on top of the wreckage. A doctor from Vivian named Edgar Galloway said that some of the dead were so disfigured that identification would be difficult. It is thought that the final death toll was 21 ±1-2 people with the number of injuries being less certain. The Shreveport Times claims that the injury count following the event was 24, while other sources state that the number was as high as 60.[4] These numbers were likely worsened by the weak infrastructure of the town as it was observed that the pieces of sheet metal that made up many homes played a roll in much of the disfigurments.
References
- ^ "Half Million Dollar Damage". Genealogy Bank. Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. February 19, 1938. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ^ GCWX Director of Public Relations (February 18, 2023). "85th Anniversary of F-4 Tornado, in Rodessa, La". stormcastforums. Gulf Coast Weather, GCWX. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ^ "Tornado Kills 25; Injured 41" (PDF). dailyiowan.lib.uiowa.edu. The Daily Iowan. February 19, 1938. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ^ "20 DIE IN LOUISIANA TORNADO: RIPS THROUGH OIL TOWN; SIXTY ARE INJURED Many Crushed Under Wrecked Buildings". ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune. Chicago Tribune. February 18, 1938. Retrieved December 21, 2024.