At least 34 people have died across the United States after deadly tornadoes tore through several south-eastern states, leaving a trail of destruction and power outages.
Missouri recorded 12 of the fatalities, as homes were flattened and vehicles overturned in the violent storms.
In Kansas, eight people lost their lives following a massive crash involving more than 55 vehicles, triggered by a dust storm that severely reduced visibility. The chaos added to the scale of devastation sweeping across the region.
Power outages affected more than 170,000 properties across five states, including Michigan, Missouri and Illinois on Saturday evening, according to outage tracker PowerOutage.
Severe weather continues to threaten the region, with tornado watches issued for eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee and the western Florida Panhandle.
Six deaths were reported in Mississippi by Governor Tate Reeves, as several tornadoes spread across the state. Flash flooding and flood warnings were also issued in central Mississippi, eastern Louisiana and western Tennessee, as well as parts of Alabama and Arkansas. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned the flash floods could be life-threatening.
Multiple tornado warnings were issued across Alabama on Saturday night. The NWS described the conditions as “particularly dangerous” and warned of “multiple intense to violent long-track tornadoes” in affected areas. The agency added: “If you live in these areas, get to the sturdiest structure you have access to and remain in place until the storms pass.”
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe said the state had been “devastated by severe storms and tornadoes, leaving homes destroyed and lives lost”. The state’s emergency management agency reported that 19 tornadoes had hit 25 counties so far.
In Arkansas, three people were killed and 29 injured, prompting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to declare a state of emergency. Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp also declared a state of emergency, while one death was confirmed in Oklahoma by Governor Kevin Stitt.
In Texas, a dust storm on Friday night caused a 38-car pile-up, resulting in three deaths. “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” Sgt Cindy Barkley, of the state’s department of public safety, told reporters. “We couldn’t tell that they were all together until the dust kind of settled.” Another fatality has since been reported in the state.
The violent storms also sparked more than 100 wildfires across several central states and overturned numerous semi-trailer trucks, according to CBS reports. One of the largest blazes, named the 840 Road Fire, has burned 27,500 acres in Oklahoma and is 0% contained, according to the Oklahoma Forestry Service, which issued a “red flag” warning for the state’s panhandle area due to high fire risk.
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Tornadoes typically form when moist, warm air rises and mixes with cold air above, forming thunderclouds. Rotating winds then create a vortex moving upward — a process common in the central US, often referred to as Tornado Alley due to its geography being ideal for such storms.
Four states with confirmed tornado-related deaths in the past day lie within this zone. In 2024, tornado-related incidents killed 54 people, according to NOAA, including nine in Texas, eight in Oklahoma, five in Arkansas and one in Missouri.
Although tornadoes are most frequent between May and June, meteorologists warn they can strike at any time of the year.
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