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Tornadoes' Effects on People

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground. Many tornadoes have the ability to take human life, destroy property, disrupt economies and contaminate the environment. Joplin, Missouri, for instance, experienced a severe tornado on May 22, 2011. This storm killed 142 people and destroyed 8,000 structures, reports the Associated Press. People are justly apprehensive about the devastating power of tornadoes.

  1. Psychological Effects

    • Morpheus Institute states that fear concerning tornadoes isn't a recent phenomena and that throughout time people have been wary of bad weather conditions. Tornado phobia results from people fearing the destructive forces that tornadoes unleash once they are formed. People also fear the overwhelming aftereffects of tornadoes, which include displacement from their homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that anxiety surrounding tornadoes and their repercussions can occur long after an incident involving a tornado has passed. They also claim that children are probably more distraught over tornadoes than adults and will require reassurance.

    Injuries and Contamination

    • The CDC uses facts and figures from a disaster area (Marion, Illinois) to reveal the truth that many tornado-related injuries occur during rescue attempts, cleanup and other post-tornado related activities. The CDC states that falling, heavy and/or rolling objects all contribute to the injury rate within an environment affected by a tornado. The University of Wisconsin offers food safety information for individuals who remain inside a tornado disaster area, and it states that loss of refrigeration, contaminated water and damaged food supplies can cause sickness. Each of these conditions can occur after the passing of a tornado, and many people can become distressed about the lack of basic necessities and sanitation.

    Economic Impact

    • People can experience economic devastation when a tornado destroys their property, livelihood and in some cases way of life. The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) cites statistics from Oklahoma in 1999 about the economic effects of tornadoes and claims that property damage totaled over a million dollars and that crop damage cost agricultural producers $6,000. The NSSL also indicates that property and environmental damage are just a few ways that economic loss occurs. Businesses, families and communities all lose money when people cannot work, earn a profit and have to attend to the medical and environmental needs present within an affected area. Fear about the future could result from these losses, and this might help to exasperate people and increase their negative feelings toward tornadoes.

    Environmental and Property Damage

    • Cleaning up a disaster site in the aftermath of a tornado can be an overwhelming and fearful experience for some people. Damage from tornadoes extends beyond what is visible, and many secondary hazards, such as gas leaks, structural failure, live electrical wires and the release of toxic materials, can cause further injury and death, says the CDC.

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