TABLE 2—
Circumstances of Death for Decedents in the Alabama Tornado Outbreak, April 27, 2011
| Death Circumstances | No. (%) |
| Mechanism of death | |
| Directa | 235 (95.1) |
| Struck or cut by debris or objects | 112 (47.7) |
| Thrown | 81 (34.5) |
| Crushed | 44 (18.7) |
| Trapped in rubble | 4 (1.7) |
| Unknown | 54 (23.0) |
| > 1 direct mechanism | 59 (25.1) |
| Indirect | 12 (4.9) |
| House fire after tornado | 4 (33.3) |
| Medical complication or injury owing to electricity failure | 3 (25.0) |
| Complications posttornado injury | 2 (16.7) |
| Myocardial infarction | 2 (16.7) |
| Premature birth | 1 (8.3) |
| Cause of death (death certificate) | |
| Trauma | 223 (90.3) |
| Unspecified | 90 (36.4) |
| Multiple, unspecified body regions | 84 (34.0) |
| Head or head and torso | 39 (15.8) |
| Chest | 10 (4.0) |
| Trauma associated | 17 (6.9) |
| Cardiopulmonary arrest | 6 (2.4) |
| Mechanical asphyxia | 5 (2.0) |
| Complication after trauma | 2 (0.8) |
| Internal hemorrhage | 1 (0.4) |
| Pulmonary hemorrhage | 1 (0.4) |
| Pulmonary thromboembolism | 1 (0.4) |
| Respiratory distress syndrome | 1 (0.4) |
| Other causes | 7 (2.8) |
| Smoke inhalation | 4 (1.6) |
| Acute myocardial infarction | 1 (0.4) |
| Alzheimer’s disease | 1 (0.4) |
| Diabetic ketoacidosis | 1 (0.4) |
| Date of death or body recovery | |
| April 27, 2011 (date of tornado) | 212 (85.8) |
| April 28, 2011 | 20 (8.1) |
| April 29, 2011 | 3 (1.2) |
| April 30, 2011 | 1 (0.4) |
| May 2011 | 7 (2.8) |
| June 2011 | 3 (1.2) |
| September 2011 | 1 (0.4) |
Note. The sample size was n = 247.
a
Each decedent may have > 1 direct mechanism of death.