Part of a roof lays in front of a home, destroyed by a powerful tornado in Defiance, Missouri on Sunday, December 12, 2021. A tornado hit the small town west of St. Louis on Friday, December 10, 2021, destroying 25 homes and killing one.
Credit: © Bill Greenblatt, UPI/Alamy Images

Devastating tornadoes tore through Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021. At least 22 tornadoes were reported throughout the 6 states. The storm started with a powerful thunderstorm, which meteorologists believe generated the tornadoes. The largest of the tornadoes broke United States history as the longest tornado. From touch down to the point where the tornado picked back up, the tornado measured 227 miles (365 kilometers).

Most of the destruction occurred in western Kentucky. Although tornadoes can occur any time of the year, they are more common in spring and summer. Tornadoes rarely form in Kentucky in the month of December. In Mayfield, Kentucky, a tornado hit a candle factory where 110 people were working the night shift. The building collapsed in the storm. Reports show eight people from the factory were killed in the storm and six people are still missing. At least 64 people have been confirmed dead in Kentucky with more than 105 people still missing. Rescue efforts are still underway to locate missing people. On Sunday, President Joe Biden approved Kentucky’s request for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

More than a dozen people were killed from the storms in Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri. The storms hit an Amazon warehouse in Illinois, killing six people. One tornado tore through a nursing home in Arkansas, killing one resident. Rescue workers and family members are still searching for missing people throughout the wreckage. Thousands of businesses, houses, and schools have been damaged. Across the affected states, more than 50,000 people have been without electricity since the storm Friday night. Rescue efforts have been complicated because many power lines and cell towers were damaged in the storms.

June 21, 2019

Today, June 21, is the first day of summer, and people in parts of the Midwestern and Southeastern United States can say goodbye to a stormy spring that included record flooding and an unusual number of powerful tornadoes. Beginning in March, snowmelt and repeated heavy rains overflowed the Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and other rivers. Tornadoes ravaged many areas in March and April, and in the month of May alone, an astounding 362 twisters touched down in 12 different states. The combined spring storms killed 64 people and caused billions of dollars worth of damage.

Mississippi River floodwaters cut off a highway at the Illinois-Missouri border on May 30, 2019. Spring storms ravaged many parts of the Midwest and Southeast in 2019. Credit: © Scott Olson, Getty Images

An unusually cold winter resulted in large snowfalls and frozen ground throughout the Midwest. In March, melting snow added large amounts of water to streams and rivers. Torrential downpours then followed, resulting in floods that affected Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Six people died in the regional flooding, and the waters caused some $8 billion in damage. Powerful thunderstorms and flooding continued in April and May, spreading damage to the states of Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas. In some states, more than a month’s worth of rain (compared with the average) fell in a single day. Saturated fields prevented many crops from being planted, and many existing crops were severely damaged.

In early March, tornadoes first struck in the Southeast, killing 23 people and causing extensive damage in parts of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. In April, tornadoes killed 20 more people in the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Then, in May, 362 tornadoes killed 15 people across the Midwest. A number of the tornadoes rated EF4—wind speeds of 166 to 200 miles (267 to 322 kilometers) per hour—on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, used to measure a tornado’s intensity. (EF5, with winds over 200 miles (322 kilometers) per hour, is the highest rating.) Destruction was substantial in Dayton, Ohio, and Linwood, Kansas, but no people were killed.

The Midwestern and Southeastern United States are accustomed to bouts of severe spring weather, but this year’s storms were abnormally abundant and strong. The increases in bad weather—in both winter and spring—aligned with what scientists expect as the world’s climate continues to change. As average global temperatures rise, air becomes saturated with moisture, resulting in higher amounts of precipitation. Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have warned of increasing episodes of severe weather because of climate change.

November 25, 2014

A grand jury convened in the fatal shooting of teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9 has determined that there was insufficient evidence to indict police officer Darren Wilson for murder or any other crime in the case. The announcement of the grand jury verdict by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch sparked a number of peaceful protests in Ferguson and other U.S. cities. Ferguson also erupted into rioting and vandalism, despite pleas for calm by Brown’s parents, President Barack Obama, civic officials, and community leaders. At least 60 people were arrested during rioting that St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said was “probably much worse” than any previous night of unrest in Ferguson since the teenager’s death. Some 25 buildings were destroyed or damaged by fire, and at least 150 shots were fired by rioters, according to Belmar.

Protesters watch buildings burn in Ferguson, Missouri, on November 25, after St. Louis County’s prosecuting attorney announced that a grand jury had voted not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August. (AP)

Brown, an 18-year-old African American, was unarmed when Wilson, a white policeman, shot him during an altercation. Many in the African-American community demanded that Officer Wilson be charged with murder. After three months of deliberation, however, the grand jury, made up of nine white and three black members, voted not to indict. (The breakdown of the vote was not released.) Prosecutor McCulloch reported that the altercation began with Brown and Wilson engaged in “tussling, wrestling, tug of war or just some movement” after Wilson confronted Brown from his police car. According to McCulloch, Wilson fired several shots, one of which grazed Brown, who then ran away. The prosecutor said that Wilson chased Brown, who turned and moved toward the police officer. Brown was hit by seven or eight shots. The last shot, which pierced the top of Brown’s head, was fatal.

Brown’s death laid bare long-simmering tensions between the African American community and the police. Ferguson’s population of 21,000 is two-thirds African American, while only 3 of the 53-member police force are black. Numerous studies have determined that unarmed, young black men are significantly more likely to be threatened or physically injured or killed by police than whites in similar situations. The U.S. Department of Justice has investigated racial bias in the use of power by police in at least 15 cities.

Additional World Book articles:

• African Americans
• Civil rights

August 21, 2014

Attorney General Eric Holder visited the town of Ferguson, Missouri, yesterday. Ferguson has seen protests every night since August 9th, after the slaying of an unarmed African American teenager by police (U.S. Department of Justice).

Yesterday, the chief law-enforcement official of the United States, Attorney General Eric Holder, went to Ferguson, Missouri, and met with law enforcement officers and the family of Michael Brown. Brown was the unarmed African American teenager slain by a white police officer in Ferguson on August 9. Holder is the first African American to serve as attorney general for the United States. He supported citizens of Ferguson who have objected to widely criticized tactics used by police in the small St. Louis suburb, saying “I am the attorney general of the United States. But I am also a black man. I’ve confronted this myself.” At least three investigations are attempting to determine the exact circumstances of Brown’s shooting.

The Missouri National Guard began patrolling Ferguson on August 18, as street protests held after the shooting became more agitated with each passing day. Police resorted to tear gas, rubber bullets, and smoke grenades to disperse crowds. Last night was the first relatively peaceful night in the town since the shooting. Today, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon ordered the Guard to withdraw from Ferguson.

Prosecutors began presenting evidence this morning before a grand jury convened to determine whether to charge the police officer who shot Brown, Darren Wilson. It is possible the grand jury will take months to sift through the statements and evidence before making a decision. Holder also promised a thorough federal investigation of the case.

Additional World Book articles:

• Civil rights

• U.S Cabinet (a Back in Time article-2009)

August 18, 2014

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon ordered the National Guard into Ferguson, Missouri, early Monday morning, as street protests over the shooting death of unarmed African American teenager Michael Brown continued. Brown was killed by a white Ferguson police officer on August 9 while walking home with a friend from a convenience store. Although some people were still protesting peacefully, Sunday evening was the most violent Ferguson had seen since Brown’s shooting, and police resorted to tear gas, rubber bullets, and smoke grenades to disperse crowds.

Also on Monday, attorneys for the Brown family released the results of a private autopsy performed on Brown’s body, which showed that he was shot at least six times. According to the Ferguson chief of police, the officer who shot Brown was assaulted by the teenager, who had tried to grab the officer’s gun. The friend walking with Brown disputes that account, insisting that Brown’s hands were raised when he was shot. The official results of an autopsy by officials from St. Louis County, which includes Ferguson, have not yet been released. According to unofficial reports, that autopsy also found that Brown had been shot six times.

The private autopsy was performed by former New York medical examiner Dr. Michael Baden at the request of Brown’s family. Dr. Baden determined that all of the bullets were fired into Brown as he was facing the officer involved, Darren Wilson. Four of the shots struck Brown in the arm and two in the head. One of the bullets entered the top of Brown’s head, suggesting he was bent forward when it struck. It was this bullet that caused the fatal injury, according to Dr. Baden.

Dr. Baden stated that his findings did not allow him to determine how events unfolded in the shooting, saying, “We need more information; for example, the police should be examining the automobile to see if there is gunshot residue in the police car.” Dr. Baden did not have access to the victim’s clothing for testing, but he stated there was no gunpowder residue on the victim’s body; such residue would be expected when a gun is fired at close range.

In a somewhat unusual development, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered a third autopsy to be performed on Brown’s body. The head of the Department of Justice, Attorney General Eric Holder, issued a statement, saying, “In addition to the local investigation already underway, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents from the St. Louis field office, working together with attorneys from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and US Attorney’s Office, have opened a concurrent, federal inquiry. The federal investigation will supplement, rather than supplant, the inquiry by local authorities. . . .  Aggressively pursuing investigations such as this is critical for preserving trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”

Additional World Book articles:

• Analyzing forensic evidence (a Special report)

• Crime-fighting scientists (a Special report)

August 14, 2014

The Saint Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, was buffeted last night by a fifth night of protests amid growing anger over the shooting of an unarmed African-American teenager by a local police officer. Michael Brown was fatally shot on August 9 while walking home with a friend from a convenience store. According to the Ferguson chief of police, the officer who shot Michael Brown was assaulted by Brown, who had tried to grab the officer’s gun. The friend walking with Brown disputes that account, insisting that Brown’s hands were raised when he was shot multiple times.

Last night, scores of police officers in riot gear fired tear gas on the demonstrators after they ignored an order to disperse. The order came after four previous nights of sometimes violent protests and looting that resulted in dozens of arrests and the burning of a shop. Several people were arrested again last night, including two journalists covering the situation. They were arrested while writing on laptops seated inside a McDonald’s.

The journalists noted that Brown’s death laid bare long simmering tensions between the local African-American community and the police–tension rooted in the way the police treat blacks compared with how they treat Ferguson’s white residents. The town’s population of 21,000 is two-thirds African American, while only 3 of the 53-member police force are black.

Feb. 22, 2012

A minor earthquake struck the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) in the central United States only days after the 200th anniversary of the last of three massive quakes that rocked that area in the early 1800′s. People in at least nine states felt the 4.0-magnitude quake, which struck at 3:28 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on Feb. 21, 2012. Only minor damage was reported. The quake’s epicenter was located near East Prairie, Missouri, about halfway between St. Louis and Memphis.

A seismic zone is an area on the surface that is or could be affected by shifts in interconnected faults (fractures) in Earth’s lithosphere (crust and upper portion of the mantle). The NMSZ is an area of high earthquake activity that is centered in the Boot Heel region of southeastern Missouri and includes parts of northeastern Arkansas, southern Illinois, and western Kentucky. More earthquakes occur in this region than in any other area of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.

The New Madrid earthquakes were the largest quakes to strike the United States since the arrival of European settlers in North America. The quakes, all of which had an estimated moment magnitude of at least 7.5, affected an area about 10 times as large as that affected by the stronger San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and Haiti earthquake of 2010. The first quake, which took place on Dec. 16, 1811, was widely felt across the Eastern United States. The shaking woke people in New York City and Washington, D.C., and rang bells in Boston. The second quake occurred on Jan. 23, 1812. The third quake, which may have been the most violent of the three, destroyed the town of New Madrid, Missouri, and damaged many buildings in St. Louis. Large waves called seiches swept northward in the Mississippi River, giving the impression that the river was flowing backwards. The death toll from the New Madrid quakes is unknown. However, if any deaths occurred, the number was probably very small. The  population of the area at that time included only about 100,000 non-Indians and a somewhat greater number of Indians. St. Louis had an estimated population of 5,700 in 1811. A major earthquake along the New Madrid fault today could affect about 40 million people, 12 million of whom live in the NMSZ itself.

An earthquake occurs when Earth's rock suddenly breaks and shifts, releasing energy in vibrations called seismic waves. The point on Earth where the rock first breaks is called the focus. The point on the surface above is known as the epicenter. World Book illustration

The NMSZ remains an area of high earthquake activity. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), large earthquakes in this zone could be more devastating than those in California for a number of reasons. Because of the nature of the crust in the Midwestern United States, shaking from an earthquake would travel farther. The region also has many buildings that have not been built or reinforced to limit earthquake damage. In addition, most people in the region are unprepared to cope with a major earthquake. A recent study estimated that a magnitude-7.7 quake along the New Madrid fault would cause 3,500 deaths and 80,000 injuries as well as the displacement of at least 2 million people in the NMSZ alone. The USGS has estimated that there is a 7 to 10 percent chance that a major NMSZ earthquake (magnitude 7.5 to 8.0) could occur within the next 50 years.

Additional World Book articles:

• Geology
• Plate tectonics
• Richter magnitude
• San Andreas Fault
• When the Earth Moves (a Special Report)