The tornado in Moore, Oklahoma this past week was another example of how destructive an EF-5 tornado can be. The National Weather Service office in Norman, Oklahoma estimated that there were 13,500 people in the path of that tornado. Sadly, 24 of those individuals died as a result of the tornado. Yet, a similar event in the past could have been even more devastating.
Statistically, an American citizen is 90% less likely to be killed in a tornado compared to 100 years ago. Advances in forecasting, Doppler radar, education in proper sheltering techniques and improvements in communications have all lead to fewer overall deaths in severe storms. EF-5 tornadoes only account for 0.1% of all tornadoes, but with over 1000 twisters observed each year in the lower 48 states, most years at least one EF-5 is recorded.
Therefore, even with all the advances we have made, when such a violent tornado strikes a highly populated area, the results are often still deadly.