2011: Stories of the Year

6 of 20

Tornado strikes Joplin, Mo.

On May 22, a tornado that was part of a chain or tornadic activity in the Midwest, touched down in Joplin, Mo. Damage was reported to be more than $2 billion -- the costliest natural disaster in history.
Copyright © 2009, KCPQ-TV, Seattle Dec. 16, 2011