Today in History: America’s second deadliest tornado ever kills more than 300
The Great Natchez Tornado devastated the towns of Natchez and Vidalia on 7 May 1840 when it killed more than 300 people and injured just over 100.
The tornado formed south-west of Natchez, shortly before 1pm, and moved north-east along the Mississippi River.
It followed the river directly, stripping forests from both shores (Mississippi and Louisiana).
The vortex then struck the river port of Natchez Landing, located below the bluff from Natchez.
The subsequent windstorm tossed approximately 60 flatboats into the river, drowning their crews and passengers in the process.
At Natchez Landing, the destruction of dwellings, stores, steamboats and flatboats was almost complete.
The tornado then moved inland, to the town of Natchez, though the full width of its devastation also included the river and the Louisiana village of Vidalia, across the river.
A report of the day stated that, “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.
Numerous other deaths may have occurred further along the path as the tornado struck rural areas such as Concordia Parish in Louisiana as well.
Slave deaths were not necessarily accurately recorded at the time, which could mean that there were more deaths than is believed.
The Free Trader, an American newspaper, stated that, “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.”
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, a further 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 damage to the tune of $1,260,000 (now equal to R15 955 317 ).
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