Joplin tornado

[Localonthe8s]

Why and how did so many ppl die in the 2011 Joplin tornado? Are EF5s simply not survivable? I couldn't find a straight answer on the net.

[Trevor]

James Spann explained it well in my opinion...not from the particular Joplin tornado but he was talking about the 2011 Super Outbreak.

Here's what he said (a rough quote):

In an EF5, if you're not underground, your chances of survival are slim. If you're above ground, chances are you're going to get sucked up into the tornado. The being sucked up doesn't kill most people, it's when they're in the tornado and being hit by all that shrapnel and debris-nails, boards, roofs, etc-that kills them.

[Localonthe8s]

Hmm, I see. I reckon that would occur if most people were inside their homes during the time?

[Trevor]

Yep. Sad to think but true.

[toxictwister00]

Remarkable that it's almost been 2 years, even with the lull of activity in 2012 it doesn't seem like that much time has transpired. 

[Localonthe8s]

Remarkable that it's almost been 2 years, even with the lull of activity in 2012 it doesn't seem like that much time has transpired. 

I remember the 2011 tornado season as if it was yesterday. It just shocked me with so much better forecasting and warning technology that these pre-1950 death tolls were coming back again.

[Metarvo]

Well, you've got several factors potentially in play here.  First of all, it's been discussed that some forecasts are indeed not all that accurate and may be growing less accurate.  Second of all, some people either don't prepare adequately or just ignore the warnings outright.  This is made worse if the people repeatedly hear wrong forecasts.  Third, it seems like what does or doesn't constitute a warning is up for grabs, for tornadoes and other storms.

With that being said, the 2011 Joplin tornado truly was a devastating storm.  I remember watching plenty of TV coverage.  It's unusual for tornadoes to follow interstates as closely as some of the ones I've heard about in the last three years.

[Lightning]

James Spann explained it well in my opinion...not from the particular Joplin tornado but he was talking about the 2011 Super Outbreak.

Here's what he said (a rough quote):

In an EF5, if you're not underground, your chances of survival are slim. If you're above ground, chances are you're going to get sucked up into the tornado. The being sucked up doesn't kill most people, it's when they're in the tornado and being hit by all that shrapnel and debris-nails, boards, roofs, etc-that kills them.

And, unfortunately, most people do not have the underground bunkers. :(Neither in Dixie Alley where I live, nor in the southern and central plains, a.k.a. Tornado Alley.