High winds, tornado struck county 95 years ago
In April 1926, a waterspout came ashore in National City, creating what the National Weather Service in San Diego has called the worst tornado on record in San Diego County. The National City tornado injured at least 18 people and caused $100,000 in damage. In San Diego, the storm tore roofs off houses and decimated trees in Balboa Park’s Pepper Grove.
From the Evening Tribune, Tuesday, April 6, 1926
HIGH WINDS DEMOLISH NUMEROUS BUILDINGS
National City and Chula Vista, swept by winds of terrific intensity, today faced heavy damage, with streets littered with debris, mud, fallen trees, posts and scattered telephone and telegraph wires while an unestimated number of citizens, bruised and injured in the storm of last night, were being taken care of in hospitals and by private physicians.
MANY HOMES WRECKED
In National City alone 21 homes were total wrecks, bits of the building, many of them magnificent bungalows, being blown several hundred feet. Twenty-three other buildings, the majority of them garages, were lashed to atoms by the furious winds. More than a score more of homes suffered severe damage, and nearly a dozen automobiles were damaged when tossed against curbs and buildings.
Narrow escapes from death were numerous, but, according to latest reports, no one suffered serious injuries. Relief committees, hastily organized last night and early today, many of them working all during the night, provided shelter for the refugees from the destroyed homes.
In Chula Vista havoc was also general, and the packing plant of the citrus association was totally destroyed, with a heavy loss ...
MINIATURE TORNADO STRIKES SOME PARTS OF SAN DIEGO
Ripping shingles, tar paper and timbers from the roofs of houses, uprooting trees and demoralizing traffic, a miniature tornado swept through the city at midnight last night.
The garage of the Kelley Laundry company, at India and Grape streets, appears to have been the first point touched by the twister, which then moved on in a general northeasterly direction, causing havoc in Balboa Park, and eventually disappearing outside the limits of East San Diego.
Shortly before midnight, calls for help began to come in at fire headquarters, frantic householders calling for tarpaulins, blankets and help of all kinds. No clearer description of the path of the storm could be given than the log of the departments giving the times at which calls were received, and where the engines were sent. The log follows: Firemen Kept Busy
“11:40 p.m.: Engine 6 to 1964 Union street, report of roof torn off of house.
“12:03 a.m.: Engine 9 to 3369 Thirty-second street; roof off of house.
“12:13 a.m.: Engine 17 to 4206 Forty-fourth street, part of roof torn off.
“12:15 a.m.: Engine 8 to Montecito way, report of house set fire by wire. Found electric light pole down and wires across roof.
“12:18 a.m.: Call to Tenth and A streets for flood water. “12:45 a.m.: Truck 1 to vicinity of city barns to warn residents out of houses and do rescue work; water coming over Switzer Dam. Truck 2 from Fifth and Palm in service relieving Truck 1.”
HISTORICAL PHOTOS AND ARTICLES FROM THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE ARCHIVES ARE COMPILED BY MERRIE MONTEAGUDO. SEARCH THE U-T HISTORIC ARCHIVES AT NEWSLIBRARY.COM/SITES/SDUB