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32 dead as tornadoes hit US; Missouri, Texas among worst-affected states
The number of fatalities increased after the Kansas Highway Patrol reported eight people died in a highway pileup caused by a dust storm.
Several violent tornadoes have been ripping through the US, leading to at least 32 fatalities after a storm system rapidly progressed across the country since Friday, reported the Associated Press.
Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma are some of the worst hit states. Missouri recorded the highest number of deaths out of all the states, with at least 12 people dead.
Also Read: Rolla, Missouri tornado: Photos of storm damage surface - Track twister's path
The death toll rose after eight people died on Friday, in Kansas, after more than 50 vehicles were involved in a collision on a highway.
“It was unrecognizable as a home. Just a debris field. The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls," said coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, as quoted by AP, describing the experience of authorities attempting to rescue people amid the severe storm.
Also Read: Missouri: Tornado rips through Villa Ridge, Gray Summit, Wildwood near St Louis | Videos
The governors of Arkansas and Georgia have both declared a state of emergency as weather is expected to grow more extreme from late Saturday onward. Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee has also released $2,50,000 as a disaster recovery fund to help injured people.
Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt stated that 689 square kilometres of land had been burned in his state, along with 300 homes that were damaged or destroyed due to fires increasing due to the winds. Several communities have been ordered to evacuate.
Extreme weather conditions to continue
The extreme weather conditions caused by the storm system moving across the country, are set to affect more than 100 million people, across the US. The deadly winds have caused tornadoes and dust storms and even fanned the flames of several wildfires.
Also Read: St. Louis, Missouri: Tornado sirens sound as twister moves towards Union
The American Storm Prediction Centre claimed that the fast-moving storms posed a threat, especially if they exceeded hurricane force with a speed of 100 mph. They also said that tornadoes and hail “as large as baseballs” were expected on Saturday.
Eastern Louisiana, Mississippi through Alabama, western Georgia, and the Florida panhandle, are at a high risk for tornadoes. Meanwhile, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico are likely to face wildfires.
Strong winds have also caused power outages for more than 2,00,000 homes and businesses in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, as per the site poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings for parts of far western Minnesota and far eastern South Dakota. Snow is expected to accumulate up to 6 inches in these regions, with gusty winds of up to 60 mph speed.
While such storms are not unusual in the country during this time of the year, an official from the Storm Prediction Centre in Oklahoma said that these storms were unique due to their large size and intensity, which created a substantial impact on large areas.
