TOPEKA — Today is the 45th anniversary of the massive Topeka tornado. The tornado ripped through the heart of Topeka and still ranks as one of the costliest on record. The tornado killed 16 people, injured more than 500 and caused about $500 million in damage. About 800 homes were destroyed with nearly 3,000 damaged. Every building on the Washburn University campus was either destroyed or heavily damaged. Even the State Capitol dome received some damage. Although the Fujita Scale didn’t exist then, scientists rate the Topeka tornado as an F5 because of the wind speeds estimated at more than 250 miles an hour. F5 is the top of the Fujita Scale. The National Weather Service said because of an excellent series of warnings, the death and injury toll was kept relatively low, especially when compared to the amount of damage that occurred. The tornado will be the subject of a program Sunday evening at 8 on Kansas Public Radio. Broadcaster Bill Kurtis, who became nationally famous and who was on WIBW for 24 hours straight during and after the tornado, and author Bonar Menninger, who wrote a book about the tornado called “And Hell Followed With It,” will be on the program.
Wednesday, June 8, 3 p.m.
