Worcester tornado

On Tuesday, June 9, 1953, a rare, violent and deadly tornado struck the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas. Part of a larger and devastating tornado outbreak, the tornado, known as the Worcester tornado, remained on the ground for 78 minutes, covering a distance of 48 miles (77 km), injuring 1,288 people and killing 94, making it one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history, and the deadliest tornado to ever hit New England. A total of 4,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and the National Weather Service estimated that 10,000 people were left homeless. The tornado caused $52.193 million ($590 million in 2023 when adjusted for inflation) in damage, ranking it the costliest tornado recorded in its time. At approximately 4:25 p.m. EDT, the tornado developed in a forest near the town of Petersham and moved through Barre, where two people were killed. It then moved through the western suburbs of Worcester, where 11 more people were killed. The storm then passed through Worcester, destroying Assumption College and several other buildings, killing 60 people. After striking Worcester, it killed 21 more people in the towns of Shrewsbury, Southborough, and Westborough, before dissipating over Framingham.