Violent storms and tornadoes have devastated parts of the southern and midwestern United States, claiming the lives of at least seven people and causing widespread damage.
The severe weather, including tornadoes and storms, has caused fatalities in Tennessee and Missouri, with the death toll expected to rise. In addition, more than a dozen people have also been injured as a result of the storms.
The White House has approved a state of emergency for Tennessee, where floodwaters have been rising and threatening Nashville.
The states mostly affected.
In Indiana, a state of emergency has been declared, with 50 members of the National Guard deployed to assist in areas affected by the storms, which have impacted 41 counties.
The storms are now moving eastward, having already left over 213,000 homes without power from Texas to Ohio. The National Weather Service has issued a “high-risk” excessive rainfall warning for parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky, anticipating heavy rains over the next two days. Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee stated that it was too soon to determine the full extent of the damage or additional fatalities, as search efforts continue.
On Wednesday evening, multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued across Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, and Mississippi. In Missouri, at least one person has been confirmed dead, and extensive damage has been reported. In Lake City, Arkansas, homes were torn apart, trees were destroyed, and cars were overturned. With regard to Indiana, winds reached up to 81mph (130km/h), causing widespread power outages and debris-covered roads, with schools closing across the state.
Scientists have indicated that the frequency and intensity of these events are being heightened by the ongoing climate crisis. Tornadoes are shifting to new regions, and a warmer climate retains more moisture, leading to more severe rainfall.
To conlude, in rural southeastern Oregon, historic snowmelt and rainfall have led to severe flooding. Since over 1,000 people are currently under the highest level of evacuation, Governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency in response to the crisis.