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| TORNADOES STRIKE CORPUS CHRISTI |
By National Weather Service, Corpus Christi - Staff
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Tornadoes left a trail of destruction through populated areas of Corpus Christi
on October 24th, 2002. National Weather Service Doppler Radar tracked this storm cell
as it tore its way through town. National Weather Service personnel have surveyed the damage
from the storm. The information provided here can be considered only preliminary and may be subject
to revision as more information is received.
Three tornadoes were believed to have occurred from these storms. All three tornadoes were
produced by the same severe storm cell.
The first began at around 219 PM and was 8 miles south
of the Corpus Christi Airport. This tornado moved across open
country...Produced no reports of damage...and was rated F0 (F-ZERO)
on the FUJITA SCALE. This tornado was estimated at less than 50
yards wide...Moved along an approximately seven mile path and
dissipated just southeast of the intersection of Old Brownsville
road and Padre Island drive in Corpus Christi at 228 PM.
The second tornado developed near Navigation Blvd and Old
Brownsville road at 232 PM...And moved Northeast to the west edge of
the Gabe Lazano Golf Center and into the DEL MAR COLLEGE WEST CAMPUS
where the most extensive damage occurred. The tornado then moved
north and eventually north-northwest dissipating near Baldwin Blvd
north of Agnes street at 240 PM. This tornado was rated an F2 on the
Fujita Scale, had a path length of 2 1/2 Miles...and was 100 to 200
yards wide.
The third tornado developed at 240 PM just south of the Driscoll
Middle School as the second tornado was dissipating and increased to
F2 intensity on the Fujita Scale in the vicinity of the H.E.B.
grocery store and the U.S. Post Office. This tornado moved northeast
about 5 miles into Nueces Bay and dissipated around 250 P.M. This was
the widest tornado with a measured path width of 400 yards.
Total damage is now estimated at a minimum of $75 million...With
much of the damage estimates attributed to Del Mar College.
Information from the Corpus Christi Emergency Management
indicates...
- FATALITIES...1 (AT DEL MAR COLLEGE)
- INJURIES.....26 (14 INJURED AT DEL MAR COLLEGE)
- SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH SLIGHT DAMAGE...36
- SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH MINOR DAMAGE....70
- SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITH MAJOR DAMAGE....73
- SINGLE FAMILY HOMES DESTROYED............4
- MULTI FAMILY UNITS WITH MINOR DAMAGE.....5
- MULTI FAMILY UNITS WITH MAJOR DAMAGE.....21
- MULTI FAMILY UNITS DESTROYED.............15
There were 60 businesses that ceased operations because of the
tornadoes.
There were 15 businesses that suffered major damage...1 suffered
minor damage...With a repair cost of $6.65 million.
There are an estimated 350 people unemployed because of the
Tornadoes.
Fujita Damage Scale...Estimated Storm Winds Based on Damage
- F0 Winds Less than 73 Mph
- F1 73 - 112 Mph
- F2 113 - 157 Mph
- F3 158 - 206 Mph
- F4 207 - 260 Mph
- F5 261 - 318 Mph
IMAGE ABOVE IS A LARGE SCALE OVERVIEW OF THE AREA. BELOW ARE MID-LEVEL AND STREET LEVEL MAPS.
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