Drone Video Captures the Tornado Touchdown in Andover, Kansas

Andover, Kansas, still has a scar of the deadly F5 tornado that rampaged across the city 31 years ago.

With the recent thunderstorm in the Heartland, another tornado struck Andover last week.

In the latest update, a drone video captured the moment the tornado touchdown until it dissipated.

Despite being weaker than the 1991 Andover tornado, the recent twister resulted in several injuries but with no reported fatalities.

The swirling vortex caused widespread damage to infrastructure. But, Andover residents have started to pick up the pieces towards another recovery.

Drone Video: Devastation Witnessed

In a drone video that circulated on social media on Tuesday, May 3, it can be seen that the drone captured a view of the destructive tornado on Friday, April 20, that ripped through some establishments, including houses, in Andover.

Debris was suspended in the air as the twister carries it until it dissipated.

As cited by AccuWeather, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Weather Service (NWS) classified the tornado as an EF3 under the Enhanced Fujita Scale or EF Scale with maximum wind speeds of 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour).

The EF Scale is a parameter or measurement used by meteorologists to determine the intensity of tornadoes based on their wind strength, with EF0 being the weakest and EF5 being the strongest. Unlike storms such as hurricanes, tornadoes are relatively harder to predict since they can occur at any time, most especially during a thunderstorm.

The NWS also estimated the twister was on the ground for 21 minutes and traversed a 13-mile (21-kilometer) path of destruction, it mostly wreaked havoc in the Wichita suburb of Andover.

Casualties and Damage

The Associated Press reported that four people were injured, including two firefighters, who responded to an emergency call during the storm in Andover; In a different assessment, the US media agency said the tornado generated winds of up to 165 mph (266 kph).

The storm damaged a total of 1,074 buildings, including at least 300 and 400 destroyed, according to Andover Fire Chief Chad Russell, as cited by the Associated Press. Russel reportedly stressed it will take years for the city to recover again but was thankful that the recent tornado was not bad like it was three decades ago.

1991 Andover Tornado

In April 1991, an F5 tornado created a path of destruction of 46 miles (74 kilometers) in Andover, which left at least 13 people dead and removed the foundation of some homes. The incident was reportedly part of a regional tornado outbreak that ravaged both Oklahoma and Kansas.

Also referred to as the Wichita-Andover tornado, the F5 twister was part of multiple supercells that affected the states and caused the twister outbreak. Another 54 tornadoes were also reported during that time.

US Tornado Forecast

The series of tornado outbreaks that gripped the US over recent months was part of an increased tornado activity that was initially forecasted by AccuWeather meteorologists back in March.

Based on their 2022 US tornado forecast, hundreds of tornadoes will occur in March and April, while an estimated 140 to 190 tornadoes will form in May.