1908 Albertville tornado

The 1908 tornado was part of a violent series of tornadoes that struck most of the South between April 23 and 26, 1908. In all, the storms were blamed for at least 320 deaths and more than 1,000 injuries. The town of Purvis, Mississippi was completely destroyed with 55 residents killed. Alabama's losses included 48 deaths and 260 injuries from at least four separate tornadoes.

The most powerful funnel cloud, which buzzed through Alabama on the afternoon of April 24, is estimated by the National Weather Service to have been an F4 category tornado on the current Fujita Damage Intensity Scale. The tornado touched down near Dora in Walker County in mid-afternoon and continued northeast through jefferson, Blount, Marshall and Dekalb Counties, dissipating near Sylvania two hours later.

The town of Bergens in Walker County was levelled. Albertville was heavily damaged, with 15 deaths and 150 injuries blamed on the storm. A 9-car freight train was thrown off its tracks and destroyed and there was a report of a 9-ton gas tank being carried a half mile from its home. Lightning and hail accompanied the storm all along its path.

References

• "The Dixie Tornado Outbreak - April 24, 1908" National Weather Service Birmingham. - accessed July 24, 2006