Editing Tuscaloosa, Alabama (section)

===2011 tornado===
{{main|2011 Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornado}} 
On April 27, 2011, Tuscaloosa was hit by a {{convert|1.5|mi|km|abbr=on}} wide [[Enhanced Fujita scale|EF4]] tornado that resulted in 64 deaths, more than 1500 injuries, and massive devastation. Most of the deaths, 44, were in Tuscaloosa alone, with the rest being in [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]] and surrounding suburbs.<ref name="Public Information Statement">{{cite web|url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110602/news/110609944 |title=Tuscaloosa County death toll from tornado increases to 43 |website=TuscaloosaNews.com |access-date=May 13, 2016 |last=Morton |first=Jason |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121213170939/http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110602/news/110609944 |archive-date=December 13, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="MSNBC">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42834400 |title=Twister outbreak is 2nd deadliest in US history - Weather |publisher=NBC News |date=April 30, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="NWS storm survey">{{cite web|title=Tuscaloosa-Birmingham EF-4 Tornado April 27, 2011|url=http://www.srh.weather.gov/bmx/?n=event_04272011tuscbirm|website=Srh.weather.gov|access-date=May 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112031417/http://www.srh.weather.gov/bmx/?n=event_04272011tuscbirm|archive-date=November 12, 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The tornado's top winds were estimated by the US [[National Weather Service]] at {{convert|190|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Public Information Statement"/><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Lars|last=Anderson|title=Terror, Tragedy And Hope In Tuscaloosa |date=May 23, 2011|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/index.htm|access-date=June 9, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110902001944/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1186008/index.htm |archive-date=September 2, 2011}}</ref><ref name="blog.al.com">{{cite web|author=Don Kausler Jr. |url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/04/tuscaloosa_tornadoes_death_tol.html |title=Tuscaloosa tornadoes: Death toll at 36, Mayor Walt Maddox says &#124; AL.com |website=Blog.al.com |date=April 28, 2011|access-date=May 13, 2016}}</ref> Officials at DCH Regional Medical alone reported treating more than 1,000 injured people in the tornado aftermath.<ref name="reuters.com">{{cite news|last=Gates |first=Verna |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather-children-idUSTRE73S7MU20110429 |title=Tornadoes inflict grim toll on Alabama children |work=Reuters |date=April 29, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2016 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152709/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/29/us-usa-weather-children-idUSTRE73S7MU20110429 |url-status=live}}</ref> Officials reported dozens of unaccompanied minors being admitted for treatment at the hospital, raising questions about the possible loss of their parents. Several were taken to pediatric trauma wards, indicating serious injuries.<ref name="reuters.com"/> Referring to the extent and severity of the damage, Mayor [[Walter Maddox]] stated that "we have neighborhoods that have been basically removed from the map."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna42794539 |title=Twister debris searched; nearly 300 dead - Weather |publisher=NBC News |date=April 29, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2016}}</ref> The same tornado later went on to cause major damage in the Birmingham area.<ref name="NWS storm survey"/> In all, the cost of damage from the tornado amounted to $2.45 billion, making it, at the time, the costliest tornado in U.S. history, though it would be surpassed less than a month later by the devastating [[2011 Joplin tornado|Joplin, Missouri tornado]] of May 22.<ref>{{cite web|title=The 10 Costliest U.S. Tornadoes since 1950|url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/damage$.htm|publisher=Storm Prediction Center|access-date=November 20, 2013}}</ref>

The tornado was part of the [[2011 Super Outbreak]] that affected large parts of the eastern United States and was the largest tornado outbreak ever recorded.<ref>{{cite web |title=2011 Top Ten National Weather/Climate Events |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/monitoring-content/sotc/national/2011/ann/top-ten-2011-lo-rez.pdf |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=On This Day: 2011 Tornado Super Outbreak |date=April 25, 2017 |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/2011-tornado-super-outbreak |publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information |access-date=September 12, 2020}}</ref> In total, 324 people were killed by tornadoes during the outbreak, including 238 in Alabama alone.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/torn/fataltorn.html|title=Annual Fatal Tornado Summaries|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|work=Storm Prediction Center|access-date=August 7, 2021}}</ref> The tornadoes and other severe weather combined for over $10 billion in damage throughout the affected states, with more than 20% of the damage cost resulting from the tornado that struck Tuscaloosa.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=National Centers for Environmental Information|year=2020|access-date=August 7, 2021|title=Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Events|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/billions/events/US/1980-2020}}</ref>

[[File:Tornado_damage_2011_Tuscaloosa_AL_USA.JPG|thumb|right|Immediate aftermath of the April 27th, 2011, tornado. [[DCH Regional Medical Center|Druid City Hospital]] in the background.]]

In the immediate aftermath of the tornado, thousands of rescue workers dug through the wreckage looking for survivors and recovering bodies. More than 450 persons were originally listed as missing in the post-disaster chaos, leading to fears that the death toll could climb rapidly and skepticism about the relatively low fatality figures in relation to the high number of casualties. Rumors abounded that refrigerated trucks were being brought to store unidentified remains, and that countless bodies were beneath area waters. But the fatality figure did not increase (and was later reduced). Most persons listed as missing were later found to have survived.<ref name="maddox" /> During this period, ''[[The Tuscaloosa News]]'' posted an on-line people finder to aid people to find each other, as well as determine who was still missing.<ref>[http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110428/MULTIMEDIA/110429676 "Help us locate loved ones"]. tuscaloosanews.com, April 29, 2011, Retrieved April 29, 2011</ref>

Two days after the storm, U.S. President Barack Obama and Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and their spouses, Michelle Obama and Diane Bentley, respectively, accompanied Mayor Maddox on a tour of the damage and the recovery efforts, along with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and several Congressional dignitaries. Remarking about the scale and severity of the damage, Obama said, "I've never seen devastation like this, it's heartbreaking", after touring the damaged areas.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2011/04/obama-visits-tornado-devastation.html |work=Los Angeles Times |title=Opinion: Obama on tornado devastation in the South: 'It's heartbreaking' |date=April 29, 2011}}</ref>  Obama pledged the full resources of the federal government toward aiding the recovery efforts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110429/NEWS/110429620?p=all&tc=pgall |title=President Obama promises aid, resources |website=TuscaloosaNews.com |date=April 29, 2011 |access-date=May 13, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120928093636/http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110429/NEWS/110429620?p=all&tc=pgall |archive-date=September 28, 2012}}</ref> Bentley—himself a Tuscaloosa native—pledged additional national guard troops.

Tuscaloosa Mayor [[Walt Maddox]] announced that he was requesting 500 additional National Guard troops and calling for more volunteer aid workers and cadaver teams for the recovery of bodies, in order to prevent the spread of disease.<ref name="maddox">Holland, Taylor (April 29, 2011) [http://cw.ua.edu/2011/04/29/maddox-updates-residents/ "Maddox Updates Residents"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502030143/http://cw.ua.edu/2011/04/29/maddox-updates-residents/ |date=May 2, 2011}}. [[Crimson White|The Crimson White]]. Retrieved April 29, 2011</ref>

The [[New York Yankees]] organization contributed $500,000 to the [[American Red Cross]] and [[Salvation Army]] to aid in recovery efforts, and the [[Atlanta Braves]] organization donated $100,000.<ref name="goodbread2011">{{cite web|last=Goodbread |first=Chase |title=Yankees pitcher, Tuscaloosa native lends hand to tornado relief |website=Tuscaloosa News |date=May 26, 2011 |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/news/2011/05/26/yankees-pitcher-tuscaloosa-native-lends-hand-to-tornado-relief/28385193007/ |access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Braves set July 30th as "Alabama Day" for tornado relief |date=July 27, 2011 |website=[[WSFA|WSFA 12]] |url=https://www.wsfa.com/story/15157647/braves-designate-july-30th-alabama-day-for-tornado-relief/ |access-date=December 6, 2022}}</ref> Actor [[Charlie Sheen]] visited the city to pay his respects on May 2 and donated supplies for relief efforts, along with several other actors, musicians and athletes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sheen makes 'recon' tour of city |first=Jason |last=Morton |url=http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20110503/NEWS/110509936 |newspaper=The Tuscaloosa News |date=May 3, 2011 |access-date=May 3, 2011}}</ref>

Due to the disaster, on August 6, 2011, the University of Alabama held a delayed graduation ceremony for the class of 2011. It awarded posthumous degrees to six students who died in the tornado.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna44045587 |title=Posthumous degrees given to Ala. students killed in tornadoes - US news - Life |date=August 6, 2011 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=May 13, 2016}}</ref> The cable channel ESPN filmed a tribute in memory of the devastation.<ref>[http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6509421 "Toomer's For Tuscaloosa"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110513003402/http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=6509421 |date=May 13, 2011}}, ESPN. May 8, 2011. Accessed June 8, 2011</ref>