Super Outbreak…Killer Tornado

On Wednesday, April 3, 1974, a typical spring day gave way to the beginning of the Super Outbreak, the largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period. From April 3 to April 4, 148 tornadoes were confirmed in 13 states, striking the Heartland with an intensity and force not previously seen in the United States. Across the outbreak, 5,000 people were injured and 315 were killed. In Indiana, 1,000 injuries and 48 deaths were reported. At 5:17 p.m. on April 3, an F4 tornado swept through Monticello from the southwest to the northeast, killing eight people and causing estimated damage of $1000 million dollars. Schools, homes, churches, cemeteries, businesses, and the historic Bedford Limestone Courthouse were destroyed, changing the landscape of the Monticello community.

Monticello, Indiana · United States