The May 20, 2013 tornado that struck parts of the Midwest, especially Oklahoma, left behind a trail of destruction. These images capture the pain and resilience of those affected by the powerful storm. (Photos courtesy of Getty Images)

  • Shawnee , Okla. Storm Damage

    A victim of the storm surveys the damage. The storm swept a building clear off its cement foundation.

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  • Two Women Salvage Material From a Destroyed House

    Residents search for belongings in the shells of their former homes.

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  • Residents Come Together in the Wake of the May 20, 2013 Storm

    Three storm survivors talk near a destroyed house.

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  • Debris and Pieces of Houses Litter Fields Where Homes Once Stood

    Pink insulation from an eviscerated house dots a front yard after the storm. Many homes suffered heavy weather damage from rain and wind.

     

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  • A Few Structures Remained Standing After the Storm Swept Through the Area

    The storm gutted houses. Rooms were reduced to splinters and insulation spread out across fields.

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  • A Woman Returned to the Storm Wreckage to Salave What Few Items She Could Find

    Parts of Oklahoma resembled a war zone after the May 20, 2013 storm. The tornado destroyed houses and ripped branches and leaves clean off of trees. A resident returned to the area to search for salvageable belongings.

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  • Mud-crusted Trucks Sit Idly Amidst the Wreckage

    The storm coated houses and trucks in mud. The grime from the storm turned the Midwestern landscape dirt-brown.

     

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  • Rescue Crews Arrived After the Storm to Help the Stricken Areas Recover

    A storm rescue worker rested on a bucket and surveyed the damage after the tornado. Rescue workers searched destroyed houses for trapped victims.

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  • Parts of the Midwest Resembled Ghost Towns After the Storm

    A debris-filled tree, stripped of leaves, survived the deadly storm. The tornado flattened neighborhoods where homes and communities once thrived.

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  • Rescue Crews Worked Around the Clock to Rescue Survivors

    A member of a rescue crew wielded a sledgehammer to clear the wreckage. Crews worked into the night to help victims of the storm.

    Photo courtesy of Maj. Geoff Legler, Oklahoma National Guard Public Affairs/U.S. Department of Defense via Getty Images
    Photo courtesy of Maj. Geoff Legler, Oklahoma National Guard Public Affairs/U.S. Department of Defense via Getty Images
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