VALLEY VIEW: Powerful storms resulted in the death of at least 18 people, injury of hundreds, and destruction of many properties across Texas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas after they leveled homes and our truck stop where dozens sought refuge in a restroom during the latest deadly weather to hit the US.
The most severe damage caused by the storm occurred over an area ranging from north of Dallas to northwest Arkansas while other parts of the Midwest were still threatened with violent weather. By Monday, forecasters said, the greatest risk would shift to the east, covering a broad swath of the country from Alabama to near New York City.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency early Monday on his X page citing “multiple reports of wind damage and tornadoes.”
Cooke County, Texas on Saturday night was hit by a tornado that took seven lives according to Greg Abbott Texas governor who revealed it during a Sunday press conference. The victims included two children aged between 2 and 5 years. Three relative members died in one house.
In Oklahoma two persons died as well as many houses were destroyed by storms including eight people injured in Arkansas at an outdoor wedding ceremony; Kentucky has also lost one person’s life.Tens of thousands residents were without power across the region.
Abbott added that about a hundred individuals are being treated for injuries while more than 200 structures have been destroyed or severely damaged during this time sitting at Valley View which is closed now due to overwhelming destruction caused by windstorm estimated 135 mph (217 kph).
“Storm after storm has crushed hopes and dreams small businesses and families all over Texas” said Abbott whose state has been serially affected with severe meteorological conditions including those that led to eight deaths in Houston earlier this month.
On Sunday Abbot had already expanded disaster declaration adding Denton into Montague County into Cooke County into CollinCounty among others because he knew that such things may come up once again since April, late that month, there were already heavy flooding followed by storms.
“We were in the bathroom with about 40 to 50 people at the truck stop,” said Hugo Parra of Farmers Branch, north of Dallas. The storm tore off the roof and walls crushing metal beams on top of smashed cars in the parking lot.
“Lucky is what one fire fighter told us when he checked on us. I would describe it as a wind that tried to pull us out of the bathrooms,” Parra added.
Most people injured during this weather calamity not far from Dallas were taken by ambulance or helicopter to hospitals in Denton County.
Accordingly, no further fatalities are anticipated in Texas and no residents have been reported missing; however, three detentions are being carried out just for extra caution according to Abbott.
Eight lives have been lost all over Arkansas with governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirming this information while speaking at a Sunday press conference. A few people died because of associated problems but not due to inclement conditions directly. One person died as a result of cardiac arrest while another suffocated because oxygen was not provided after electrical blackout.
According to Daniel Bolen from the emergency management office of the county, the dead included a 26-year-old woman who was found lifeless outside a demolished house in Olvey, Boone County. In Benton County, one person died while two other bodies were discovered in Marion County.
Officials said that two people died east of Tulsa in Mayes County, Oklahoma.
A man was killed by a falling tree Sunday in Louisville Kentucky and police confirmed it as storm related death via social media by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg.
Deadly storms
The nation’s midsection has had an awful month filled with fatal severe weather.
Tornadoes in Iowa last week killed at least five people and injured dozens others. The twisters which claimed several lives this season come at a time when tornadoes are historically uncommon but due to climate change have turned out to be more severe across the globe. With April having seen the second highest number of tornadoes recorded in any month on record for the United States, these deadly twisters have been spawned during an unusually bad season.
As these Saturday night through Sunday storms have moved across most parts of this region meteorologists and authorities issued dire warnings for people to find shelter instantly. The National Weather Service station located at Norman Oklahoma posted “If you are in the path of this storm take cover now!” on X.
The race was postponed for four hours at the Indianapolis 500 due to a powerful storm’s entrance at the area which led to the evacuation of about 125,000 racing fans.
Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee were expected to see harsher storms.
According to meteorologists, on Monday severe weather will shift towards North Carolina as well as Virginia.
