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F3 tornado in Mitchell County, Georgia

Tornado February 13, 2000 – February 14, 2000 · Mitchell County, Georgia

F3
Rating
9.2 mi
Path length
300 yd
Path width
11
Deaths
175
Injuries
$20.0M
Damage as recorded
$2.0M
Crop damage
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 300 yards (0.17 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F3 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F3 meant severe damage: whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned; the scale paired it with winds of 158–206 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

What the National Weather Service wrote

A strong tornado tore through two major subdivisions and four mobile home parks just south of Camilla after touching down just east of Branchville. Damage assessments from the American Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency reported 200 homes destroyed and 250 homes were damaged. Two miles south of Camilla on GA Highway 112, a large trailer manufacturing plant was destroyed. Eleven fatalities were confirmed by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, all of which resided in mobile homes. Approximately 175 persons were injured. The American Red Cross and Salvation Army opened several shelters for the homeless. Hundreds of acres of pecan trees were uprooted, pine trees snapped, and power lines toppled. Numerous irrigation systems were damaged. Property damage estimates totalled $20 million with crop losses estimated at $2 million. Mitchell County was declared a federal disaster area. Reported by the Mitchell County EMA.

Began near Camilla (31.1667, -84.2667).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

6 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

F3 Grady County 6 deadF3 Mitchell County 1 deadF3 Thomas CountyF2 Colquitt County 1 deadF1 Colquitt CountyF1 Decatur County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5132156. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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