Severe tornadoes and dust storms have resulted in the tragic loss of at least 34 lives across the southern United States, with violent winds flipping cars and reducing homes to rubble. A dust storm in Kansas triggered a catastrophic accident involving more than 50 vehicles, claiming at least eight lives, while Texas experienced a similar large-scale crash.
Several states, including Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma, are under a state of emergency due to over 100 active wildfires. The region is bracing for a third consecutive day of harsh weather, with warnings of flash floods and more tornadoes. The National Weather Service has characterized the tornadoes as ranging from "intense to violent" and has described the situation as "particularly dangerous".
Residents in Alabama were advised on Saturday night to find the sturdiest available shelter and stay there until the storms subside, as multiple tornado warnings were issued. As of Sunday morning, around 250,000 properties across the country were without power, according to PowerOutage tracker.
Missouri, where at least 12 people were killed, has been "devastated by severe storms... leaving homes destroyed and lives lost," said Governor Mike Kehoe. In the wake of the disaster, the state's emergency management agency reported 19 tornadoes hitting 25 counties.
One of the victims' homes was completely destroyed. "It was unrecognizable as a home. Just a debris field," Butler County Coroner Jim Akers described the scene. "The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls."
Evacuee Alicia Wilson shared her harrowing experience of the tornado, describing it as "the scariest thing I've ever been through - it was so fast, our ears were all about to burst." In Mississippi, a mother relayed her six-year-old daughter's terror during the storm.
In Texas, a dust storm triggered a pile-up of approximately 38 vehicles, resulting in at least four fatalities, according to local authorities. Sgt Cindy Barkley, of the state's public safety department, called it "the worst I've ever seen."
Amid the chaos, the storms have also sparked numerous wildfires in several central states, including Oklahoma, where over 130 fires were reported on Friday. As of Saturday, 112 fire-related injuries have been reported in the state's hospitals.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, who discovered his own ranch had been completely destroyed by the fires, expressed his disbelief at the extent of the damage. "Oklahomans, we are in this together and we will build back stronger," he reassured his constituents.
Tornadoes are formed from the clash of warm, moist air rising from the ground and the cold air above it, creating thunderclouds. These rotating winds create a vortex that moves upwards. Several states, including Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas, are located in the so-called Tornado Alley, an area frequently affected by this weather phenomenon due to its favorable geography. Although the peak tornado season in the region is from May to June, meteorologists warn that they can occur at any time of the year.