15 years ago today: Deadliest modern US tornado devastated Missouri community

JOPLIN, Missouri – It's been 15 years since the deadliest tornado in modern history ripped through Joplin, devastating the city of 50,000 in southwest Missouri.

On May 22, 2011, an extremely dangerous EF-5 tornado that registered winds over 200 mph and reached a maximum width over a mile wide killed 161 people, injured over 1,000 more and wreaked havoc on a path of utter destruction.

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Across a 22-mile path, around 7,500 homes were damaged, 3,000 of which were heavily damaged or completely destroyed, decimating the southwestern Missouri town that continues to mourn one of the worst severe weather disasters in U.S. history 15 years later.

The infamous tornado etched itself into the record books as the deadliest tornado in modern U.S. history since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) began keeping records in 1950.

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Roughly 75% of Joplin sustained damage, with nearly a quarter of the city destroyed, while the storm caused an estimated $2.8 billion in damage, making it the costliest tornado in U.S. history at the time.

In the immediate aftermath of one of the deadliest and most devastating weather disasters in U.S. history, the eyes of the world turned to Joplin. 

Fifteen years later, the city stands as a symbol of resilience — rebuilt, renewed and forever marked by the deadly tornado that scarred the community.

"if someone didn’t now that an EF-5 tornado happened 25 years ago, driving through those areas, you would not know that that occurred," FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray said.

While thousands of residents were displaced and left with only rubble where their homes once stood, the devastating tornado destroyed many of the city’s most important landmarks and institutions.

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Among them were St. John’s Regional Medical Center, a nine-story hospital; Joplin High School, which served more than 2,000 students; the Franklin Technology Center; Greenbrier Nursing Home, a wood-framed facility that became one of the deadliest sites struck by the tornado; St. Mary’s Catholic Church and School; Irving Elementary School; Harmony Heights Baptist Church; and numerous retail stores along a commercial strip that included Walmart and Home Depot.

At its peak strength, the EF-4/EF-5 damage path was roughly six miles long through densely populated areas of the city.

Satellite images from the impacted area captured the wide-scale devastation that left a physical scar on the Earth where it traveled, underscoring the sheer size and strength of the horrifying tornado.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm, local, state and federal agencies rushed to the scene to begin the colossal recovery effort in the devastated city.

A nearby university was transformed into a makeshift hospital, while residents used pickup trucks as ambulances to transport the injured.

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Torn-off doors and debris were repurposed as stretchers, local restaurants rushed food to survivors and first responders, and donations poured in from across the country.

Meanwhile, an army of volunteers from around the U.S. lined the streets, helping communities begin the long process of cleanup and recovery.

"How we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. How we live in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache, that’s within our control. And it’s in these moments, through our actions, that we often see the glimpse of what makes life worth living in the first place," President Barack Obama said while speaking to the people of Joplin during a memorial service a week after the tornado.

"In the last week, that’s what Joplin has not just taught Missouri, not just taught America, but has taught the world. I was overseas in the aftermath of the storm, and had world leaders coming up to me saying, ‘let the people of Joplin know we are with them; we’re thinking about them; we love them’. Because the world saw how Joplin responded."

The story of Joplin, both then and now, is one of resilience and perseverance that is evident in the city that stands today: rebuilt and forever mindful of the tragedy that changed it 15 years ago.

Timeline: May 22, 2011, as it happened

For residents of Joplin, Missouri, May 22, 2011, began as a normal Sunday – with people attending church and thousands attending a high school graduation at a nearby college.

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A timeline of the major warning events, according to the National Weather Service, is as follows.

At 1:30 p.m. CDT, a Tornado Watch was issued for southwest Missouri, including Joplin, as the atmosphere became primed for violent tornadoes.

Hours later, at 5:09 p.m., a Tornado Warning was issued for western Jasper County, including northeast Joplin – immediately followed by a three-minute siren alert at 5:11 p.m.

At 5:17 p.m., a Tornado Warning was issued for southwest Jasper County and Joplin.

Less than 20 minutes later, the approximate tornado touchdown occurred at 5:34 p.m. ½ mile southwest of Joplin city limits.

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Four minutes later, at 5:38 p.m., a second three-minute siren alert was sounded for Jasper County, and EF-4 damage began as the tornado approached Schifferdecker Avenue in western Joplin.

Joplin’s recovery and lasting legacy

Thousands of stories emerged from the devastation of May 22, 2011 — including one from FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray, who still vividly remembers the heartbreaking destruction he witnessed in Joplin, a scene that remains etched in his memory 15 years later.

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On the anniversary of the devastating tornado, Ray is back in Joplin, tracing the steps of the violent storm that once reducted the city of 50,000 to rubble.

"To witness that on the ground 15 years ago was a humbling and frightening experience," Ray said. "And to return here now and to walk the once piles of debris in neighborhoods that have been rebuilt is stunning."

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In an instant, thousands of homes were destroyed and lives were forever changed by the staggering loss caused by the tornado. In the years since, the city has rebuilt from the disaster, cementing a legacy of hope and resilience.

"You talk to people here and although incredible progress has been made, those that went through it, the scars will last forever," Ray said.

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The devastation of Joplin served as a turning point in tornado warning technology and emergency communication that included stronger tornado warning language, the nationwide rollout of impact-based warnings and wireless emergency alerts to cell phones.