(May 11, 2009)-Monday marks the 56th anniversary of the deadly tornado that ripped through the heart of Downtown Waco in 1953.

The tornado touched down near Lorena just after 4:30 p.m. on May 11, 1953 and moved north toward Waco leaving a trail of damage in excess of 20 miles before it dispersed near Mt. Calm.

The 1953 Waco Tornado remains the state's deadliest to date and is the 10th deadliest ever in the nation.

A total of 114 people were killed; 61 of those in a single city block in Downtown Waco.

The tornado seriously injured more than 140 other people caused about $41.2 million in property damage:

• 196 businesses and factories were destroyed,
  
• 217 commercial buildings sustained major damage,
  
• 179 sustained lesser damages;
  
• 150 homes were destroyed
  
• 250 sustained major damage,
  
• 450 sustained lesser damages.
  
• More than 2000 cars were damaged or destroyed.
  

Bricks from the collapsed structures piled up in the street to a depth of five feet. Some survivors were trapped under rubble for 14 hours, and it took several days to remove the bodies from the rubble.