Check out this devastation…
All photos used are in and around the Springfield area and are provided by the US Department of Commerce, & NOAA (2018, May 1). See the homepage for more photos.
Between 8:20 and 8:30 PM on March 12, 2006, the city of Springfield, IL, was affected by a pair of F2-strength tornadoes. These tornadoes had a path nearly identical to the track of the June 14, 1957, F4 tornado which killed 2 people, injured 50, and caused $2.5 million in damage (NOAA).
This tornado was on the ground for about 60 miles before it moved into Springfield (NOAA).
A second tornado developed as the first tornado was dissipating, around 8:25 PM. This tornado touched down about 1/4 mile north of the Bunn Park golf course and tracked to the northeast. The strongest damage was bounded by 15th Street, Cornell Avenue, South Grand Avenue, and Pope Avenue. Several homes had roofs torn off, with extensive damage to power poles and lines, along with numerous downed trees. This second tornado was on the ground for nearly 4 miles, for approximately 5 minutes between 8:25 and 8:30 PM. The estimated wind speeds with this tornado were also around 120 mph (NOAA).
Nearly 14 years have passed since two tornadoes hit Illinois’ state capitol. In 2016, the Springfield Tornadoes marked its 10th anniversary of creating havoc across town.
According to ABC Newschannel 20’s Weather Special: Impact Of 2006 Tornado Still Felt Today, local families and business owners still remember their experience like it was yesterday. At the time, Jerome Village President Mike Lopez, recalled him taking shelter in the police station basement and that he could hear a “roaring train sound, [then] it got really quiet, then boom! A tree had fallen onto the police station.” Similar stories were shared throughout town–from taking shelter, hearing the tornado or debris pass by, then surviving the horrific event.
The damages were so severe that the city had no power for days. Regardless of its severity, there were no reports of any fatalities and very few injuries were attended to by first responders.
Joe Crain, a former Meteorologist from NewsChannel20/WICS Springfield, stated that “early warnings” and “preparedness” was a huge part of Springfield residents being safe. He also gives credit to the fact that the event happened on a Sunday night going into Monday morning, where most people are home and out of public places such as Walmart and local restaurants.
The probability of a fatality would have been higher since those buildings took a significant amount of damages, some completely wiped out, Joe suggested.
Joe himself was impacted by the tornadoes personally. His house in the Westchester neighborhood received damages to half of its roof. He recalled that his house insurance covers exactly half of the expenses to repair his roof. Although his house was not impacted severely, some of his neighbors were significantly damaged.
“There was a young family that had just moved in and their whole roof flew off and the rain flooded their house,” Joe recalled.
The two F2 tornadoes clearly made an impact in town. However, regardless of this unfortunate natural disaster, the Springfield community was united as one to take their town back and build each other up.
Springfield, IL - Tornadoes of 2006 