The 1953 Tornado Killed 114 People in Downtown Waco

The May 11, 1953 tornado struck during the afternoon and hit densely built parts of downtown Waco. It killed 114 people and left about 145 seriously injured. Nearly 600 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The storm caused long-term decline in the downtown core.

The 1953 storm is part of why tornado preparedness matters in this county. McLennan County sits in a region of Central Texas where severe spring storms are common. The NWS Fort Worth office tracks tornado climatology for the county going back to the 1800s.