<p>That brings the year's total to 538 tornado fatalities, making 2011 the deadliest tornado season since 1927 and the fifth worst on record, according to the national weather service.<br /><br />Two bad days accounted for nearly all the deaths: an outbreak of dozens of tornadoes that killed 314 people in five states on April 27 and the massive twister that struck Joplin on May 22.<br /><br />The nearly mile-wide twister packing winds of more than 200 miles per hour cut a six-mile (nearly 10 kilometer) swath of destruction through the town of 50,000 people.<br /><br />Officials predict it will cost billions to repair the physical damage caused by the deadly twisters and months for life to return to normal.</p>
<p>That brings the year's total to 538 tornado fatalities, making 2011 the deadliest tornado season since 1927 and the fifth worst on record, according to the national weather service.<br /><br />Two bad days accounted for nearly all the deaths: an outbreak of dozens of tornadoes that killed 314 people in five states on April 27 and the massive twister that struck Joplin on May 22.<br /><br />The nearly mile-wide twister packing winds of more than 200 miles per hour cut a six-mile (nearly 10 kilometer) swath of destruction through the town of 50,000 people.<br /><br />Officials predict it will cost billions to repair the physical damage caused by the deadly twisters and months for life to return to normal.</p>