"As extreme weather pummels the US, particularly in Missouri, Oklahoma, and surrounding states, the record number of fatalities and extensive damage results in emergency declarations and urgent calls for national support."
"Severe Weather Catastrophe: US Faces Record Deaths and Destruction"
"Severe Weather Catastrophe: US Faces Record Deaths and Destruction"
"A series of devastating tornadoes, wildfires, and dust storms sweep across the Midwest and South, claiming 40 lives and causing unimaginable destruction."
At least 40 lives have been lost after a series of devastating tornadoes coursed through the Midwest and Southern regions of the United States. The destruction began on Friday, disproportionately affecting Missouri, where a minimum of 12 fatalities have been reported. In addition to tornado activity, Texas and Kansas faced perilous dust storms that contributed to multiple vehicle pile-ups, resulting in at least a dozen deaths.
This extreme weather phenomenon, impacting an area inhabited by over 100 million individuals, ignited nearly 150 wildfires across Oklahoma. Fatalities extended to Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi as communities grapple with unprecedented climatic turmoil. Flood warnings remain active in Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
According to the tracking service PowerOutageUS, more than 320,000 residents were without power as of Sunday evening following the chaos. States of emergency have been established in Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma as local communities struggle to recover from the destruction.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe described the scale of devastation in his state as "staggering," noting that hundreds of homes, educational institutions, and businesses have been either irreparably damaged or entirely destroyed. Describing the scene as resembling “just a debris field,” the local coroner, Jim Akers, illustrated the severity of one tornado's impact, which obliterated a residence in Butler County.
In Oklahoma, wildfires, fueled by fierce winds that reached 83 mph (133 km/h), have devastated approx. 170,000 acres and left behind nearly 300 structures in ruins, including a farmhouse owned by the state’s Governor, Kevin Stitt. The state's Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the deaths of four individuals attributed to the wildfires and high winds.
Additionally, the dust storm in Kansas triggered a tragic multi-vehicle accident, costing eight lives; while a similar storm in Texas led to a catastrophic pile-up involving 38 vehicles, resulting in four deaths. The Mississippi tornadoes claimed six victims, and Alabama recorded the deaths of three individuals, including an elderly woman.
In response to the escalating crisis, US President Donald Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard to Arkansas, emphasizing the critical need for rapid responses to support the afflicted communities. He urged the public to join him and First Lady Melania Trump in prayers for all those impacted by these severe storms.
