At least four US states have been hit by storm-generated tornados. As of this afternoon, the tornado-spawning thunderstorms that swept the Southern Plains and the Ozark Mountains had killed at least 21 people and destroyed hundreds of structures with more severe weather predicted by forecasters.
According to state emergency authorities’ tallies over the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend, at least eight people died in Arkansas, seven in Texas, four in Kentucky and two in Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania until Monday evening. About 30 million people were affected by the watch as it moved closer to this side of the East Coast.
Early on Monday, Governor Andy Beshear announced a state of emergency for Kentucky. The area’s weather service has put Atlanta under a severe thunderstorm watch as well as parts of Georgia and several western South Carolina counties up to Monday afternoon.
In his X post which he made on Monday, Beshear said “It was a tough night for our people.” In press conference he later added that there were devastating cyclones almost all over the state. Offficials said 100 state highways and roads got damaged due to those storms.
Governor Greg Abbott informed a Sunday press conference that at least seven individuals died including members from one family aged 5 years old and 2 years old after North Texas near Oklahoma border communities were hit by a powerful tornado on Saturday night thereby leaving nearly 100 injured persons behind him.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders disclosed late Sunday that her state experienced at least eight deaths following the storms. An Arkansan who suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) died when oxygen ran out during power outage.
The White House said President Joe Biden offered condolences for the lives lost when he spoke on Monday with Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Governors Abbott and Sanders
Biden has directed federal agencies to provide support as needed, and the White House said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground conducting damage assessments with state and local counterparts.
According to PowerOutage. US tracking website, hundreds of thousands of Americans were left without electricity due to the weather. In Kentucky, there were over 160,000 customers who did not have power alone.
During a news briefing Kentucky Governor Beshear noted that it might take days for authorities to restore power in some areas.
More tornadoes may come along with damaging winds, large hail and heavy downpours capable of causing flash floods through Ohio and Tennessee valleys; warned the weather service.
Just last week another twister struck Texas after a powerful tornado killed four people in an Iowa town.
Starting from next Saturday, US is expecting what government forecasters have dubbed as “extraordinary” 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.
