Tornadoes tore through parts of the US, leaving a trail of destruction as powerful storms moved east into the Mississippi Valley and Deep South on Saturday. At least 17 people have died, with Missouri experiencing the highest toll, as officials confirmed 11 fatalities from overnight twisters.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed multiple injuries alongside the fatalities. “It was unrecognisable as a home. Just a debris field,” said Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, describing the scene that confronted rescuers when they arrived, according to the Associated Press.
“The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls,” he added.
According to Akers, rescuers successfully saved a woman from the residence. Officials in Arkansas reported three death in Independence County and 29 injuries across eight counties following overnight storms.
“We have teams out surveying the damage from last night’s tornadoes and have first responders on the ground to assist,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a post on X. Both Sanders and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared states of emergency.
‘It’s the worst I’ve ever seen’
The severe weather system brought destructive winds to the Mississippi Valley and Deep South on Saturday. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported two adult deaths in Bakersfield, Ozark County, with multiple injuries.
Coroner Jim Akers reported one death early Saturday after a tornado destroyed a home approximately 177 kilometres east of Bakersfield. These casualties occurred as a substantial weather system crossed the country, generating winds that caused fatal dust storms and intensified over 100 wildfires.
Severe weather conditions, including hurricane-force winds, were expected to affect regions inhabited by more than 100 million people. Forecasts predicted winds reaching 130 kph from Canada to Texas, bringing blizzard conditions to northern regions and increased wildfire risks to southern areas.
Three people lost their lives on Friday in vehicular accidents during an Amarillo County dust storm in Texas, according to Sgt Cindy Barkley. One incident involved approximately 38 vehicles.
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” Barkley said, describing the near-zero visibility as a nightmare. “We couldn’t tell that they were all together until the dust kind of settled,” he added.
‘Electricity off for an unknown period of time’
Cave City, Arkansas reported five injuries, prompting Mayor Jonas Anderson to declare a state of emergency early Saturday. “Electricity infrastructure has been decimated and will remain off for an unknown period of time,” he said.
Oklahoma authorities ordered evacuations in certain areas as over 130 fires were reported statewide. The State Patrol noted winds strong enough to overturn several lorries, the Associated Press reported.
Weather specialists noted that March typically experiences such extreme conditions. “What’s unique about this one is its large size and intensity,” said Bill Bunting of the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Centre in Norman, Oklahoma.
“And so what that is doing is producing really substantial impacts over a very large area,” he added.
Severe weather systems, high-risk alerts
The Storm Prediction Centre issued warnings about rapidly moving storms capable of producing tornadoes and large hailstones comparable to baseballs. The primary concern centred on straight-line winds, potentially reaching hurricane strength with speeds up to 160 kph.
High-risk alerts were issued for Mississippi regions, including Jackson and Hattiesburg, alongside Alabama areas encompassing Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. The severe weather system threatened eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee and the western Florida Panhandle with potential storms and tornadoes.
Southern Plains fire emergency
Multiple wildfires emerged across the Southern Plains amidst dry conditions and powerful winds. Authorities ordered evacuations in various communities across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico.
In Roberts County, Texas, northeast of Amarillo, a fire expanded dramatically from 2 square kilometres to approximately 85 square kilometres, according to the Texas A&M University Forest Service on X.
Emergency crews contained its progression by evening. Another fire, situated 90 kilometres southward, spread to 10 square kilometres before containment.
Strong winds disrupted power supply to over 2,60,000 homes and businesses across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, as reported by poweroutage.us.
Weather service announced blizzard warnings
The National Weather Service announced blizzard warnings for specific areas in western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, effective early Saturday. Expected snowfall ranged between 7.6 to 15.2 centimetres, with possibilities of reaching 30 centimetres.
Forecasts indicated wind speeds reaching 97 kph, likely to create whiteout conditions.