Violent tornadoes tore through parts of the U.S. on Saturday, leaving a path of destruction and claiming at least 16 lives as powerful winds swept through the Mississippi Valley and Deep South. Missouri saw the highest death toll, with at least 10 fatalities reported after twisters ravaged communities overnight. Among the victims was a man whose home was completely destroyed.
Authorities in Arkansas confirmed three deaths in Independence County and 29 injuries across eight counties. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders released $250,000 from the state’s Disaster Recovery fund to aid affected communities.
Meanwhile, dust storms in the Texas Panhandle caused fatal car crashes in Amarillo, killing three people. The same storm system fueled over 100 wildfires and hurricane-force winds, prompting evacuations in Oklahoma and causing several tractor-trailers to overturn.
Forecasters warned that severe weather would continue through the weekend, with tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds threatening Mississippi, Alabama, and other parts of the South. Heavy rain could also bring flash flooding along the East Coast on Sunday.
At least five tornadoes were reported in Missouri, including one near St. Louis. The Storm Prediction Center cautioned that fast-moving storms could generate destructive winds reaching 160 km/h, along with possible violent tornadoes in the central Gulf Coast and Deep South.
As wildfires raged across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico, emergency officials ordered evacuations in multiple areas. In Texas, a fire in Roberts County ballooned to 85 square kilometers, while another blaze near Amarillo quickly spread before being contained. Oklahoma declared a state of emergency as fires threatened homes, forcing evacuations in Leedey and parts of Norman.
The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for Minnesota and South Dakota, forecasting snow accumulations of up to 30 centimeters and winds gusting to 97 km/h, creating whiteout conditions.
High winds also knocked out power to more than 216,000 homes and businesses across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, as the massive storm system continued its relentless march across the country.
Source: Swifteradio.com
