Home >> Science & Nature >> Nature

How Do Tornadoes Affect the Community?

A violently rotating column of air defines a tornado. Tornadoes occur all around the world, but the United States tends to see more of these potentially destructive storms than most other countries. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, approximately 800 tornadoes occur during the spring and summer months of an average year in the United States. While not all tornadoes cause devastating destruction, any size storm can affect people's lives.

Inuries and Deaths
- Fires are just one concern after a tornado.
  
  Severe injuries and loss of life comprise the main concern generated from tornado formation. In an average year, reports of approximately 1,500 injuries and 80 deaths are received nationwide. These casualties can occur during the storm or after the event while citizens walk among debris. In fact, records indicate that many injuries result from people stepping on nails, from items falling on people and from heavy rolling objects striking them. Injuries and deaths may also occur from electrocution, explosions from gas leaks and fires.
Property Damage
- Tornadoes cause a wide range of damage to property.
  
  The Fujita Scale measures the strength of a tornado by calculating the amount of damage it causes to property. This scale ranges from F0 -- light damage, with wind speeds of 40-42 mph -- to F5, incredible damage,with wind speeds of 261-318 mph.
  
  The damage a tornado can do ranges from simply breaking branches and damaging signs and roofs to overturning heavy trucks and completely destroying homes and heavy framed buildings. The majority of tornadoes, about 74 percent according to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, cause minimal damage. Sixty-seven percent of all tornadoes cause significant damage and loss of life.
Effects of Infrastructure Damage
- Seeking shelter under an overpass could harm more than help.
  
  Tornadoes can cause widespread infrastructure damage to a community, into the millions of dollars. For example, a tornado devastated a town in Iowa in 2007, causing 2.7 million dollars of damage to the town's infrastructure. This estimate includes damage to recreational facilities and parks, as well as municipal buildings. Tornadoes can also cause disruptions in police, fire, and hospital services. While a town recovers from a tornado, residents often must depend on themselves for the duration of the recovery efforts.
Disruption of Utilities Services
- Boil water, or have bottled water on hand due to the disruption of utility services.
  
  After a tornado, residents will find a disruption of services such as gas, power, water and sewer utilities. With the possibility of not having essential utilities and services for several days to several weeks, emergency management generally recommends that residents boil their water or have bottled water on hand, keep flashlights handy and refrain from burning candles to provide light.

Nature