Thunderstorms that swept across the South Plains and Ozark Mountains killed at least 21 people in four US states yesterday afternoon and destroyed hundreds of homes, as forecasters warned of severe weather. especially.
The death toll over the three-day Memorial Day weekend included at least eight in Arkansas, seven in Texas, four in Kentucky and two in Oklahoma, according to tallies from state emergency officials. A severe thunderstorm watch had been issued for parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania until yesterday evening, the National Weather Service said.
The watch is in effect for more than 30 million people in the Northeast as the storm is expected to move along the East Coast. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency early yesterday morning.
The weather service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Atlanta area and other parts of Georgia and for much of western South Carolina through at least yesterday afternoon. “It’s a tough night for our people,” Beshear said yesterday on X’s social media.
He later told reporters that heavy rains have lashed almost the entire state. The storm damaged 100 highways and state highways, officials said.
At least seven people died – including a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old from the same family – and nearly 100 were injured Saturday night when a powerful tornado hit a town in North Texas, near the border with Oklahoma, Governor Greg Abbott. said. conference conference. On Sunday evening, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at least eight people had died in her state after the storms.
An Arkansan with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease died due to lack of oxygen during a power outage. The President Joe is risen and give peace when it says yesterday and Governor state, Kevin States and the Government who said. White.
Facial federal relief of the haven of damage and community members and local counterparts to provide support. Hundreds of thousands of Americans were without power Monday because of the weather, according to the tracking site PowerOutage.US.
In Kentucky alone, more than 160,000 consumers are without power. In some areas, it could take days to restore power, Kentucky Gov. Beshear said during a news conference.
Weather officials warned that the storm will pass through the Ohio Valley and Tennessee, bringing damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes, as well as heavy rain that could cause flooding. The latest weather forecast comes days after a powerful tornado hit an Iowa town, killing four people, and other tornadoes hit Texas last week.
The United States is bracing for what government forecasters call the “exceptional” 2024 season of Atlantic hurricanes, which will begin next Saturday.
