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Authorities said at least 32 people were killed after strong tornadoes and deadly storms struck multiple states in the US’s South and Midwest over the weekend.
CNN reported that on April 1, more than 50 preliminary tornado reports were received in at least seven states.
Tornadoes crushed homes and businesses, ripped roofs off buildings, splintered trees, and flung vehicles into the air.
One such tornado ripped Wynne, Arkansas, in half, leaving a path of destruction from the city’s western to eastern limits, according to Mayor Jennifer Hobbs, who told CNN on Sunday: “We’re just going to need all the help that we can (get) to help these families recover.”
Another person died in North Little Rock, about 100 miles southwest.
Deaths have been confirmed across a wide range of states, including multiple victims in Arkansas, Indiana, and Tennessee, where the statewide death toll rose to 15 on Sunday, according to officials.
Two children and one adult were discovered dead after police responded to calls about trees that had fallen on homes, according to the Memphis Police Department.
County Mayor Larry Smith confirmed to CNN on Sunday that nine other people died in McNairy County, Tennessee.
Sheriff Guy Buck told CNN on Saturday evening that the storm “crossed our county completely from one side to the other.” Authorities were still searching for collapsed building.
At least five people were killed in Indiana and four in Illinois, including one who died when the roof of the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere collapsed on April 1 while more than 200 people were gathered for a heavy metal concert.
One death was also reported by state and local officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and Delaware.
This latest devastation comes only a week after a massive tornado destroyed a town in Mississippi, killing 25 people, according to the Xinhua news agency.
During the same period of violent weather, Alabama reported the 26th death.
The storm threat has now shifted to the Southern Plains, where nearly 13 million people in north Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, are under an enhanced — or level 3 of 5 — risk of severe weather in the afternoon and early evening hours, the Storm Prediction Center said.
According to officials, the Dallas Office of Emergency Management activated its sirens for the city “due to large hail” as flights were grounded at Dallas airports.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, both Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport issued ground stops as severe weather rolled into Texas. Flights were temporarily halted but have since resumed, according to the FAA.
Tornado warnings have been issued for parts of Oklahoma and Texas by the National Weather Service.
Source:IANS
