Eric Lantz took his award-winning photo of the Tracy tornado as it was leaving the town
| |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 7:04 p.m. June 13, 1968 |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 9 |
| Injuries | 125 |
| Damage | $43 million (2006 USD) |
| Areas affected | Southwest Minnesota |
Part of the Tornadoes of 1968 | |
The 1968 Tracy tornado was an extremely powerful tornado that struck Tracy, Minnesota on Thursday, June 13, 1968, at around 7:00 p.m.[1] Rated F5 on the Fujita scale, the tornado killed nine people and injured 125 others.[1] The tornado tracked nine miles (14 km) through Murray, Lyon and Redwood counties in southwestern Minnesota. It is one of only two official F5 tornadoes that have occurred in Minnesota, although several other tornadoes that occurred before 1950 are estimated to have been F5 strength.[2]
The tornado destroyed 111 homes, caused major damage to 76 homes, and caused minor damage to an additional 114. Five businesses were destroyed, and 15 others were damaged. Some homes in town only had their foundations left behind. A few farms outside of town were swept completely away, and extensive ground scouring occurred.[3] An elementary school and 106 automobiles were destroyed, and a heavy boxcar was thrown more than a block by the storm. Two other boxcars were thrown 300 yards (270 m), and a steel I-beam was carried for two miles (3.2 km) on a piece of roof.[4] Hard rains and hail were also reported.[5] A total of five tornadoes hit Minnesota on June 13, 1968, most of which were rated F0.[6]
