On April 21, 2001, Hoisington suffered a large scale disaster, when an F4 tornado ripped through the city, destroying 5 miles with a path width of 3/8 of a mile. It came from the southwest corner and traveling almost straight into the middle of the city. One fatality was reported and 28 injuries (2 critical). 200 homes and 12 businesses were destroyed and 85 homes were severely damaged. 200 homes received minor to moderate damage. The city's population and commerce recovered quickly. Today the tornado's path can still be seen from the air due to the lack of trees, some empty lots, and the newer houses, which are larger and more spaced out than the older ones.