The tornado destroyed a number of shopping complexes, office buildings, churches, and much of the Waterford Square apartment complex as it slowly crossed Airport Road. The potential impacts of climate variability and change on health impacts of extreme weather events in the United States. Tornado disaster in rural Georgia: triage response, injury patterns, lessons learned. Another lesson learned from that day, just how responsive the Tennessee Valley can be. He said doctors were having trouble reaching the hospital because of blocked roads. . On the afternoon of Wednesday, November 15, 1989, around 4:30 pm, a tornado struck the southern portion of the city of Huntsville cutting a swath of destruction from southwest toward the northeast through a business section and a heavily populated residential area. Fractures were more frequent above the waist than below and five fractures became infected resulting in osteomyelitis. Regional Highs/Lows/Rainfall, Forecasts Numerous homes and offices were damaged, with one office building being damaged severely. A variety of non-traumatic conditions also were encountered. [4][6][7]. The storm, an F4 tornado, had such power that it was more than a half-mile wide. By his estimate, the tornado landed somewhere between the landfill and the K-9 range. Hours into the search and rescue efforts on that evening, bitter cold and snow slowed first responders progress. The tornados path stretched more than 18 miles. Smith's daughter writes about her memories of the tornado. It was 4:37 on the afternoon of Nov. 15, 1989. The expecting mother will need diapers and bottles, but she will also need comfy maternity clothes to wear throughout her pregnancy or a maternity pillow. Past Events tornado warning. Smith: "I laid down on the floor in the fetal position behind a Coke machine.". Learn how and when to remove this template message, July 1989 Northeastern United States tornado outbreak, National Centers for Environmental Information, List of North American tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, List of 21st-century Canadian tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, List of European tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, List of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks in Asia, List of Southern Hemisphere tornadoes and tornado outbreaks, List of tornadoes striking downtown areas, "U.S.