At least 34 people have died as tornadoes and extreme weather wreak havoc across the US South-East, leaving widespread destruction and power outages.
Missouri has reported 12 fatalities, while Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia have declared states of emergency as storms continue to sweep through the region.
Missouri’s emergency management agency confirmed that 19 tornadoes struck 25 counties, causing catastrophic damage. “It was unrecognisable as a home. Just a debris field,” Butler County Coroner Jim Akers said, describing a scene where a tornado had torn a house apart.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves reported six deaths as multiple tornadoes tore through the state, prompting urgent flash flood warnings. The National Weather Service (NWS) has described the situation as “particularly dangerous,” warning of “multiple intense to violent long-track tornadoes.”
In Kansas, at least eight people died in a massive 55-vehicle pile-up caused by a dust storm, while a similar storm in Texas triggered a crash involving 38 cars, killing four people. “We couldn’t tell that they were all together until the dust kind of settled,” Sgt Cindy Barkley of Texas’ public safety department said.
Extreme winds of up to 60mph (97km/h) were recorded in Tennessee, while Arkansas saw three deaths and 29 injuries. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through,” Missouri resident Alicia Wilson told local media after being evacuated.
Adding to the crisis, the destructive storms have fuelled over 100 wildfires across central states. Oklahoma’s 840 Road Fire has already burned 27,500 acres and remains uncontained, with officials issuing a severe fire danger warning.
With more severe weather expected, tornado watches are in effect for parts of Louisiana, Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida, as emergency responders brace for further devastation.
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