The Rainsville, Alabama tornado of April 27, 2011 was one of the four EF5-rated tornadoes that struck during the historic 2011 Super Outbreak. It killed 25 people in DeKalb County, Alabama, striking rural communities across northeastern Alabama during the same afternoon that produced Hackleburg, Smithville, and Philadelphia EF5s.
The tornado touched down at approximately 5:35 PM CDT in Marshall County, Alabama, and moved northeast for approximately 34 miles into DeKalb County. Peak intensity was reached over rural Rainsville, where damage indicators supported the EF5 rating with peak winds estimated at 200+ mph.
Rainsville is a rural community of approximately 5,000 residents. The tornado's direct path through the town killed 25 people, mostly in wood-frame homes that failed catastrophically. Additional injuries came from flying debris and building collapses.
DeKalb County total for April 27: 34 killed (Rainsville plus other tornado events that day).
April 27, 2011 produced 4 EF5 tornadoes in a single afternoon:
Combined with the Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF4 (64 killed) and multiple other significant tornadoes, April 27 killed 316 Americans in 24 hours - the deadliest tornado day since 1925.
The NWS Huntsville office had been in continuous severe weather operations for hours before the Rainsville tornado. Tornado warnings had been active across DeKalb County. Despite the warnings, the tornado's peak intensity and the rural mobile-home-heavy geography combined for catastrophic losses.
Rainsville rebuilt in the years after. Alabama expanded storm shelter grant programs following the Super Outbreak. DeKalb County installed additional outdoor sirens and community shelters. The area remains among the highest tornado-death regions per capita in modern American history.
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