Photo credit: www.bbc.com
US tornadoes: Extreme weather leaves trail of destruction
A series of tornadoes have caused significant devastation across the Midwest and South of the United States, resulting in at least 37 fatalities. The state of Missouri has been particularly hard-hit, with 12 lives lost as the storms first began to form on Friday.
Furthermore, powerful wind conditions in Texas and Kansas have triggered dust storms that led to multiple vehicle collisions, claiming an additional twelve lives. This severe weather event has affected a region inhabited by over 100 million residents, sparking nearly 150 wildfires across Oklahoma. Sadly, additional fatalities were reported in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Numerous states, including Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, were placed under flood advisories as the situation worsened. As of Sunday evening, data from PowerOutageUS revealed that more than 320,000 people were without electricity in the affected areas.
Emergency declarations have been issued in Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma due to the crisis. In Missouri, Governor Mike Kehoe remarked on the extensive destruction within the state, describing it as “staggering.” He noted that many homes, schools, and businesses have been severely damaged or completely destroyed.
Tragically, one tornado resulted in the death of a resident in Butler County, with local coroner Jim Akers stating that the home was “unrecognizable.” He further described the aftermath, likening it to “just a debris field,” highlighting the extent of destruction with floors turned upside down and walls visible where they should not be.
In Oklahoma, the combination of high winds, reaching speeds of 83 mph (133 km/h), propelled nearly 150 wildfires, which ravaged approximately 170,000 acres and destroyed nearly 300 structures, including a farmhouse owned by Governor Kevin Stitt.
Kansas was also profoundly affected, witnessing eight deaths from a massive vehicle collision that involved over 55 cars due to a dust storm. A similar incident occurred in Texas, where approximately 38 vehicles were involved in a pile-up resulting in four fatalities. The storms wreaked havoc across several states, with Mississippi reporting six deaths tied to tornado activity and Alabama experiencing three fatalities, including an 82-year-old woman. Officials in Arkansas confirmed three deaths and 29 individuals injured from the chaos.
In response to this calamity, President Donald Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard to assist with the recovery efforts in Arkansas. He shared a message on his Truth social platform, urging the public to join him and the First Lady in praying for those affected by these devastating storms.
As residents grapple with the aftermath, entire streets in areas like Mannford, Oklahoma, have been obliterated, prompting evacuations as fires continued to spread.
Have you been personally affected by the tornadoes in the US?
If it’s safe, we encourage you to reach out and share your experiences. Your insights could help shed light on the human side of this tragedy.
Source
www.bbc.com