1953 Flint–Beecher tornado
On Monday, June 8, 1953, an exceptionally violent tornado struck the north side of Flint, Michigan and the northern suburb of Beecher, causing catastrophic damage and hundreds of casualties. Rated as an F5 on the Fujita Scale, the tornado touched down in Genesee County, Michigan, at 8:30 p.m. EST (01:30 UTC) and continued on a 18.6-mile-path (29.9 km), causing 116 fatalities, 844 injuries and an estimated $19 million (1953 USD) in damage.
Tornado damage in Beecher, Michigan | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | June 8, 1953, 8:30 pm EST (UTC−01:30) |
| F5 tornado | |
| on the Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | >261 mph(420 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 116 |
| Injuries | 844 |
| Damage | $19 million (1953 USD) |
| Areas affected | Flint and Beecher, Michigan (part of a larger outbreak) |
Part of the '1953 Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak sequence and tornado outbreaks of 1953' | |
This was the deadliest tornado in Michigan history and the 10th deadliest in United States history. Most of the casualties and damage occurred in the unincorporated community of Beecher. The tornado was one of eight tornadoes that touched down the same day in eastern lower Michigan and northwest Ohio. It was also part of the larger Flint–Worcester tornado outbreak that began over Nebraska and Iowa, before moving east across the upper Great Lakes states and Ontario, and on to New York and New England causing more deadly tornadoes.