On May 22, 2011, the annual diplomas delivery ceremony was held in Joplin (Missouri). The happy event was disintegrated by a catastrophic Tornado, a one -year -old black iceberg tip that repeatedly hit the United States area known as “Tornado Alley”. On March 19, 2025 Netflix releases the documentary “Tornado Town: in the eye of the cyclone”, reconstruction of the immense tragedy through the eyes and words of the then newly-bored, enriched with unpublished images that reconstruct the power of the abaustian day.
The true story of Joplin’s Tornado
In 2011 the geographical portion of the United States known as “Tornado Alley” lived one of the most devastating seasons in the history of the Tornadoes. This corridor that crosses states such as Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, is notoriously subject to Tornado due to the meeting between hot and humid air masses from the Gulf of Mexico and cold currents from Canada. Between 25 and 28 April 2011, the so -called “Super Outbreak” occurred, the largest and most expensive tornado phenomenon ever recorded in the United States. In total, 367 Tornado have been confirmed in 21 states, causing the death of 324 people and an unprecedented trail of destruction. April 27 was the most active day, with a record of 223 Tornado; And four of these tornadoes have been classified as EF5, the highest level on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
One of the most catastrophic events of that year was the Tornado EF5 that devastated the city of Joplin, Missouri, dated 22 May 2011. Tornado, about a mile wide (1.6 km), traveled 22.1 miles (35.6 km), causing the death of 158 people and over 1,150 injured. The destruction was immense, with about 2,400 houses, 1,000 cars and numerous commercial activities razed to the ground. The St. John’s Regional Medical Center hospital was seriously damaged and subsequently demolished. The Joplin High School has also been completely destroyed.
A somewhat catastrophic episode, now at the center of the Netflix docufilm “Tornado Town: in the eye of the cyclone”, which highlighted the importance of the preventive measures in the Tornado Alley. Since then, many communities have strengthened building regulations, building anti-tornado shelters and installing alarm sirens. Awareness of risk and media coverage played a crucial role in the preparation and response to emergencies…