Missouri

How many people died in the 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado? Looking back at historic devastation

Published

1 year ago

March 20, 2025

How many people died in the 2011 Joplin, Missouri tornado? Looking back at historic devastation

A deadly tornado that raged through Joplin, Missouri 14 years ago is once again in the spotlight after the release of a new Netflix documentary.

“The Twister: Caught in the Storm” is a feature-length documentary that tells the story of the EF-5 tornado that swept through Joplin, a city of approximately 50,000 about 75 miles west of Springfield, in May 2011 through the lens of a group of young people whose high school graduation day was affected by the natural disaster.

The film is directed by Alexandra Lacey, a UK-based filmmaker known for working on projects like “Tinder Swindler,” “American Nightmare” and “Three Identical Strangers.”

“This catastrophic event ravaged Joplin, and yet its community overcame, rebuilt and became an enduring symbol of hope,” the documentary’s synopsis reads adding the film “features adrenaline-inducing real-life footage, filmed by people in Joplin, taking us into the eye of the storm.”

Here’s what to know about one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the United States.

When and where was the Joplin, Missouri tornado?

The Joplin tornado hit land in the early evening of May 22, 2011 which started as a typical spring Ozarks day in which severe weather was looming, Steve Runnels, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Springfield told USA TODAY on the tornado’s 10-year anniversary.

“We were predominantly looking at storms likely to produce very large hail,” Runnels said. “Tornadoes were a possibility, but not one we were necessary keying in on.”

Late that afternoon, the NWS saw indication on the radar that debris had been thrown way up into the atmosphere − well above 10,000 feet, Runnels said.

“That was the first time in my career up to that point that I had seen that (height),” he said. “We had seen it in other radars in other parts of the country, but it was the first time in southwest Missouri.”

The tornado touched down around 5:30 p.m. on Joplin’s west side and moved east, destroying homes, businesses, and significantly damaging the city’s medical center and Joplin High School over the course of approximately 48 minutes.

How big was the 2011 Joplin tornado? What was its rating?

The tornado’s path on the ground was 22 miles long, with 13 miles of it cutting through Joplin’s city limits, USA TODAY previously reported. At its peak, it was about three-fourths of a mile wide with winds hitting more than 200 mph.

Runnels said the tornado, rated EF–5 on the Enhanced Fujita tornado intensity scale, was “moving anywhere from 15 to 30 miles per hour over a densely populated area.”

“To put that in context, it would have taken two minutes to pass over your house,” he had said.

How many people died in the 2011 Joplin tornado?

The massive tornado killed 158 people, according to NOAA, and injured more than 1,000 people and displaced 9,200 after some 4,000 homes were damaged.

While the National Weather Service’s official count of “direct fatalities” was 158, there were additional indirect deaths that added up to or even beyond 162 deaths, Runnels explained.

An NWS Central Region Service Assessment of the Joplin tornado found that the “majority of Joplin residents did not immediately take protective action upon receiving a first indication of risk (usually via the local siren system), regardless of the source of the warning,” despite the region being prone to tornados.

“Most first chose to further assess their risk by waiting for, actively seeking, and filtering additional information before taking protective actions,” the report said, adding the reasons behind their actions were “quite varied, but largely depended on an individual’s ‘worldview’ formed mostly by previous experience with severe weather.”

The report added that most Joplin residents did not take protective action until the threat was confirmed through either observing or hearing the tornado, “seeing or hearing confirmation, and urgency of the threat on radio or television, and/or hearing a second, non-routine siren alert.”

What is the biggest tornado ever recorded in the US?

While the Joplin tornado was the deadliest tornado of 2011 and has become known as the deadliest tornado in Missouri history, it is ranked as the seventh deadliest tornado in U.S. history. The deadliest tornado, called the Tri-State Tornado, occurred a 100 years ago on March 18, 1925 and killed 695 people across the states of Missouri, Indiana and Illinois.

However, the National Weather Service ranks the Joplin tornado as the deadliest since modern record-keeping began in 1950. Overall, 2011 was the fourth deadliest tornado year in U.S. history, according to NWS.

The Joplin tornado was also the costliest tornado on record, with losses approaching $3 billion, a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) said.

Contributing: Greta Cross, USA TODAY; Jackie Rehwald, Springfield News-Leader

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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Missouri

Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s $2.6 billion budget for 2026-27

Published

8 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve the city’s .6 billion budget for 2026-27

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council voted Thursday to approve a $2.6 billion budget for the city’s fiscal year of 2026-27.

The budget includes $744 million in spending for public safety, including $26.3 million for a new Department of Community Safety and $4.2 million to hire 50 new KCMO Police Department officers, along with 10 call takers and 10 dispatchers.

“Our budget respects the strong fiscal foundation the taxpayers have helped Kansas City build, maintaining a rainy-day fund of over $200 million, increasing road resurfacing, hiring more public safety and city workers, and investing in all Kansas City neighborhoods,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said in a news release from the city. “In a city that can walk and chew gum, we are proud to welcome the world while delivering strong basic services for Kansas City’s families.”

The council voted to spend $83.8 million for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to provide bus services, but the KCATA may have to make cuts in bus services even with a $6 million boost in funding from the city.

In addition, the council approved spending $39.4 million for citywide street resurfacing and $1.5 million for tearing down dangerous buildings.

“This budget reflects a collaborative effort across the city, and provides a clear path for Kansas City to keep moving forward with discipline, accountability and a focus on service,” City Manager Mario Vasquez said in the news release. “Thank you to the council for its thoughtful deliberation and input in crafting this budget.”

More information on the fiscal year 2026-27 budget can be found on the city’s website.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 25, 2026

Published

20 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 25 drawing

07-21-55-56-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 3-2-0

Midday Wild: 7

Evening: 0-0-5

Evening Wild: 5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 25 drawing

Midday: 2-6-3-9

Midday Wild: 4

Evening: 9-5-6-8

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 25 drawing

Early Bird: 07

Morning: 09

Matinee: 04

Prime Time: 14

Night Owl: 07

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 25 drawing

12-14-22-26-28

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 25 drawing

35-38-41-43-62, Powerball: 08

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Missouri

Missouri AG orders 13 unlicensed Kansas City dispensaries to stop selling products

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Missouri AG orders 13 unlicensed Kansas City dispensaries to stop selling products

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Dozens of dispensaries have been ordered to close after Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said they are selling without licenses.

The AG’s office sent cease-and-desist letters to 33 dispensaries. Of those, 13 are in the Kansas City area, according to information provided by the state.

Each location is accused of selling cannabis or marijuana products without a state license, or selling other products deceptively marketed as marijuana, according to Hanaway.

Hanaway’s office also said testing found some products contained things such as lead, arsenic, and ethanol. They also used deceptive labeling and packaging, including designs that may target children, according to a news release.

Here are the locations named by the AG’s office: