KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sometimes on TV we see these powerful tornadoes hit other parts of the country and think, “It won’t happen here.” It did though.
Fifteen years ago, one of the strongest tornadoes to ever hit the KC metro occurred.
The twister hit mainly the north and west sides of the metro. Winds more than 200 mph ripped through houses, apartments and businesses in communities such as Riverside, KCK, Parkville and Liberty. Other tornadoes were reported near Leavenworth, Paola, Harrisonville and Warrensburg.
Considering the destructive power of the tornadoes, it was amazing that only two people died and about 50 people were injured.
For many, it was their first time going through anything like that before, and they won’t ever forget the experience.
A lot in KC has changed since May 2003. Thousands of people have moved into our area. Most have never been through what the metro endured that day.
Meteorologist Joe Lauria and metro residents reflect on that 2003 tornado and what would happen now if it happened again in the video player above.
