26 May 2023
UDALL, Kan. (KSNW) – It was 68 years ago, on May 25, 1955, that the deadliest tornado happened in Kansas in Cowley County.
Udall was hit and nearly wiped off the map. The F5 tornado killed 80 people and injured over 200. The tornado destroyed nearly every building in town and caused $2.2 million in damage.
On Thursday, the town hosted a service to remember the victims and invited Jim Minic, who recently published a book about the tragic storm.
“We want to keep the memory alive, and we want to just make sure people remember Udall in the old way and the new way that we have it now,” said Ron Beard, Udall Community Historical Society president.
Further southwest of Udall, a tornado killed at least 20 people and injured over 200 in Blackwell, Oklahoma.