Powerful tornadoes swept across the South and Midwest, killing 21 people and damaging homes and lives and property.
According to Reuters and Associated Press on the 1st, tornadoes occurred in at least eight states, including Tennessee, Arkansas, Illinois, and Indiana late in the afternoon the previous day.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said the tornado’s top wind speed reached 265 km/h.
In McNairy County, located in western Tennessee, seven people have been killed by a storm accompanied by a tornado.
“We are asking people to stay away from affected areas for safety,” the county said. “Numerous homes have been damaged and many injuries have been reported.”
In southern Arkansas, five people, including four, died in the small town of Wynn.
Ceilings and walls of several buildings collapsed in the area, and cars were overturned. Also, trees and power lines were uprooted.
Wynn police said dozens of residents were trapped in the rubble and were unable to escape.
Mayor Jennifer Hobbs described the damage as “half of this town has been cut out”.
Three deaths were confirmed in Indiana, and one person was killed and injured in Alabama and Mississippi, respectively.
Local media reported that 21 people were killed in this tornado, but there is a possibility that more damage will be confirmed in the future.
Local police authorities said the collapse occurred as a “strong storm raged through the area”.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders mobilized more than 100 members of the National Guard to respond urgently and directed the state disaster response and recovery fund to inject $250,000.
In addition, several tornadoes were confirmed in Iowa, and a large fire broke out in Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service warned that over the weekend Arkansas, southern Missouri, western Kentucky, and western Tennessee are likely to be exposed to thunderstorms that cause strong tornadoes, hail and high winds.
On the 24th, a tornado struck Mississippi, killing 26 people, and damaging more than 400 homes.