Top 12 Most Powerful Tornadoes in the World: A Force of Nature's Fury

4. The Moore Tornado of 2013: A Recurring Nightmare

Though Moore, Oklahoma, an Oklahoma City suburb, has experienced more than their fair share of strong tornadoes, the EF5 tornado that struck on May 20, 2013, was especially devastating. With wind speeds of up to 210 mph, this mile-wide tornado tore a 17-mile swath across heavily populated areas including two primary schools. The storm took 24 lives, injured 377 others, and probably inflicted damages of $2 billion. Moore's narrative is distinctive in that it repeatedly visits destructive tornadoes. Previous major tornadoes in the city in 1999 and 2003 had caused some to refer to it as "Tornado Alley's bulls-eye." The 2013 Moore tornado spurred debates about possible underground storm shelters in public buildings and tornado-resistant building methods. It also resulted in enhancements in early warning systems and public awareness of tornado protection, therefore proving how resilient towns can be in the face of recurrent natural disasters.