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Tornadoes are vertical funnels of rapidly spinning air. Their winds may top 250 miles an hour and can completely destroy well-made structures, uproot trees and hurl objects through the air like deadly missiles.
Twisters erupt in thunderstorms and are often accompanied by hail. These violent storms occur around the world, but the United States is a major hotspot with about a thousand tornadoes every year.
Destruction caused by the tornado that hit Oklahoma in May 2013
In May, two tornados hit communities in the south and southwest of Oklahoma City, killing 44 people (10 of whom were children, including two infants) and injuring around 400.
12,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, two elementary schools were destroyed, and a hospital was severely damaged.
Our teams distributed family house hold kits, containing items such as blankets, torches, candles, and sleeping mats to families affected by the tornado. We set up essential Child Friendly Spaces to keep children safe and supported education centres to ensure children could continue to learn.
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