On May 20, thousands cowered in basements or fled in panic as one of the strongest tornadoes ever recorded struck the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore, tearing up horse farms and trailers with 200-plus-mile-per-hour winds before destroying dense clumps of blue-collar tract houses.
The nearly mile-wide EF5 tornado stayed on the ground for 40 minutes and killed 23 people – including children who sought shelter in a school basement. Days later another tornado, nearly as large, struck near Oklahoma City again, injuring and killing several professional tornado chasers.
The May 20 twister was not Moore's first brush with big tornadoes. A tornado outburst in 1999 spawned a massive twister that took a nearly identical path through the town. This time, the storm showcased Oklahomans' deep storm experience and rapid response, while also bringing renewed attention to building standards.
– Patrik Jonsson, Staff writer
