Several violent tornadoes have ripped the US away, leading to at least 32 deaths after the storm system has progressed rapidly across the country since Friday, the Associated Press reported.
Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma are some of the worst hit states. Missouri recorded the highest number of deaths of all states, with at least 12 deaths.
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The death toll rose after more than 50 vehicles were involved in highway collisions after eight people died Friday in Kansas.
“It couldn’t be recognized as a home. It was just a field of debris. The floor was upside down. Butler County Coroner Jim Akers, cited by the Associated Press, said he described the authorities’ experiences trying to save people amid a violent storm.
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The Arkansas and Georgia governors both declared a state of emergency as the weather is expected to grow to more extreme starting the second half of Saturday. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee has also released $2,50,000 in the Disaster Recovery Fund to help those with injuries.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt said 689 square kilometres of land were burned in his state, along with 300 homes damaged or destroyed due to increased wind fires. Several communities have been ordered to evacuate.
Extreme weather conditions that continue
The extreme weather conditions caused by the storm system traveling across the country are set to affect more than 100 million people across the United States. The deadly winds caused tornadoes and sandstorms, inciting the flames of several wildfires.
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The American Storm Prediction Center claimed that fast-moving storms pose a threat, especially when hurricane forces exceeded at speeds of 100 mph. They also said that a tornado and hail are expected on Saturday “as big as baseball.”
The eastern Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, West Georgia and the Florida Panhandle are at higher risk of tornadoes. Meanwhile, Texas, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico could face wildfires.
The strong winds have also caused power outages in more than 2,00,000 homes and businesses in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, according to the site Poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service has issued snowstorm warnings in western Minnesota and parts of eastern South Dakota. Snow is expected to accumulate up to 6 inches in these areas, with gusts of wind speeds up to 60 mph.
While such storms are not unusual at this time of the year, officials at the Storm Prediction Center in Oklahoma said that these storms were unique due to their large size and strength, and had a major impact on large areas.
