At least 34 people have died across the United States after devastating tornadoes tore through several southeastern states, destroying homes and overturning vehicles. Missouri reported the highest death toll with 12 fatalities.
In Kansas, a dust storm triggered a massive crash involving more than 55 vehicles, resulting in at least eight deaths. Overnight, over 250,000 properties across seven states lost power, including Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois, according to PowerOutage tracker.
Weather authorities warn additional severe weather is expected, with tornado watches issued for eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee, and the western Florida Panhandle. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed six deaths as multiple tornadoes moved across his state.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flooding and flood warnings for central Mississippi, eastern Louisiana, western Tennessee, and parts of Alabama and Arkansas, cautioning these floods could prove deadly. Multiple tornado warnings were also issued across Alabama Saturday night.
The NWS warned of “multiple intense to violent long-track tornadoes” in affected areas, describing the situation as “particularly dangerous” and advising residents to seek shelter in the sturdiest structures available until storms pass. Wind gusts reaching 60mph (97km/h) were recorded in Shelby, Tennessee.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe said the state had been “devastated by severe storms and tornadoes, leaving homes destroyed and lives lost.” Initial reports from Missouri’s emergency management agency indicated 19 tornadoes had struck 25 counties.
A tornado completely destroyed the home of one Missouri victim. “It was unrecognizable as a home. Just a debris field,” Butler County Coroner Jim Akers told CBS News. “The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls.”
Missouri resident Alicia Wilson described her evacuation experience to KSDK television: “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through; it was so fast, our ears were all about to burst.”
Arkansas reported three deaths and 29 injuries, prompting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to declare a state of emergency. Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp also declared an emergency, while Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt confirmed one death in his state.
A dust storm in Texas caused a 38-car pile-up on Friday night. “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” said Sgt Cindy Barkley of Texas’s department of public safety. “We couldn’t tell that they were all together until the dust kind of settled.” Texas has since reported an additional death.
The storms fueled over 100 wildfires across central states and overturned multiple semi-trailer trucks. In Oklahoma, the 840 Road Fire has burned 27,500 acres and remains 0% contained, with authorities issuing a “red flag” warning for the state’s panhandle area.
Tornadoes form when rising warm, moist air mixes with cold air above to create thunderclouds. Winds from different directions cause air rotation, creating an upward-moving vortex.
The four states reporting tornado-related deaths lie within “Tornado Alley,” a region geographically conducive to tornado formation. While peak tornado season typically runs from May to June, meteorologists warn tornadoes can occur year-round.
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Killer Tornadoes Sweep Through US Leaving Dozens Dead And Homes Destroyed
At least 34 people have died across the United States after devastating tornadoes tore through several southeastern states, destroying homes and overturning vehicles. Missouri reported the highest death toll with 12 fatalities. In Kansas, a dust storm triggered a massive crash involving more than 55 vehicles, resulting in at least eight deaths. Overnight, over 250,000 properties across seven states lost power, including Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois, according to PowerOutage tracker. Weather authorities warn additional severe weather is expected, with tornado watches issued for eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee, and the western Florida Panhandle. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed six deaths as multiple tornadoes moved across his state. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued flash flooding and flood warnings for central Mississippi, eastern Louisiana, western Tennessee, and parts of Alabama and Arkansas, cautioning these floods could prove deadly. Multiple […]
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