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Netflix’s The Twister: Caught in the Storm revisits the harrowing events of May 22, 2011, when an EF5 tornado devastated Joplin, Missouri. With winds reaching up to 200 mph, the tornado tore a nearly mile-wide path across the city, leaving more than 1,000 people injured, according to People on March 19, 2025.
The documentary weaves together survivor accounts and archival footage to explore the human toll and the long-lasting effects on the community.
Among the most striking incidents highlighted in The Twister: Caught in the Storm is the destruction of St. John’s Regional Medical Center, which, according to AP News (March 23, 2025), lost power during the storm, leading to multiple patient fatalities and eventual demolition.
The film also sheds light on the lesser-known outbreak of a rare fungal infection, zygomycosis, linked to storm debris, which infected several survivors, as reported by Screen Rant, on March 23, 2025. The Twister: Caught in the Storm offers a close look at the city’s resilience and the unforeseen aftermath that unfolded in the years following the disaster.
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The Twister: Caught in the Storm documents how a supercell over Joplin spawned an EF5 tornado with winds exceeding 200 mph
The Twister: Caught in the Storm chronicles how a supercell over Joplin, Missouri, spawned a catastrophic EF5 tornado with wind speeds that exceeded 200 mph, cutting a destructive path nearly a mile wide through the city on May 22, 2011.
The tornado remained on the ground for approximately 38 minutes, covering a distance of about 22 miles and causing unparalleled devastation, as per usgs.gov, (May 25, 2016). The Twister: Caught in the Storm explores how this natural disaster became one of the deadliest in U.S. history, claiming 158 lives and leaving over 1,000 people injured, according to People on March 19, 2025.
The documentary highlights how Joplin’s infrastructure was severely compromised. Around 7,500 homes were either damaged or completely levelled, as were roughly 553 businesses, impacting more than 17,000 residents, as per People.
Schools were hit hard, including the complete destruction of Joplin High School and five other educational buildings, forcing students and faculty to relocate to makeshift facilities, including a converted shopping centre, while reconstruction efforts began.
One of the most significant points made in The Twister: Caught in the Storm involves the devastation at St. John’s Regional Medical Center. The hospital’s staff had only moments to move patients into hallways before the building was shifted from its foundation by the storm’s force.
As per AP News on March 23, 2025, windows shattered, ventilators failed due to power loss, and medical records were scattered over 75 miles away. Five patients and one visitor died immediately, with other deaths following from injuries sustained during the storm. The building was later demolished due to the extent of the damage.
The Twister: Caught in the Storm also uncovers a lesser-known consequence of the disaster: a deadly fungal outbreak. In the days following the storm, survivors began showing symptoms of zygomycosis, a rare infection caused by the Apophysomyces fungus, commonly found in soil and debris.
According to Screen Rant on March 23, 2025, 13 people were infected after sustaining injuries from debris contaminated with the fungus, and five of them died.
Steven Weersing, featured prominently in the documentary. Known as the “Miracle Boy,” he was one of the few who survived, although he underwent multiple surgeries to remove necrotic tissue from several organs and limbs, as reported by People (March 19, 2025).
Beyond individual tragedies, The Twister: Caught in the Storm details how the community responded. Emergency responders, including local law enforcement, the National Guard, and federal agencies, were quickly mobilized to conduct search and rescue operations noted in usgs.gov on May 25, 2016.
At the disaster’s peak, over 400 trucks were deployed daily to clear debris, while temporary shelters were constructed for displaced families (White House records, 2011).
Despite the devastation, the film portrays the resilience of Joplin’s residents. Federal funds, insurance payouts, and community-led initiatives fueled a large-scale rebuilding effort. By 2014, 90 per cent of the homes and businesses lost to the tornado had been replaced. Many buildings were built according to robust safety standards, as per usgs.gov.
According to AP News on March 23, 2025, the return of students to a newly built high school was symbolized by the flight of a single eagle, the Joplin High’s mascot over the football field, reflecting the community’s determination to rebuild and move forward.
Stay tuned for more updates.
