At least 33 people lost their lives as tornadoes tore through the central United States, flipping large trucks and causing widespread devastation, authorities reported on Saturday. Local media showed extensive damage, including overturned vehicles and destroyed buildings, while forecasters warned of more tornadoes in the coming days.
In Kansas, eight fatalities were confirmed after a collision involving over 50 vehicles, caused by a “severe dust storm” that drastically reduced visibility, according to police.
In Missouri, the State Highway Patrol reported 12 storm-related deaths and shared images of boats piled on top of each other at a marina destroyed by the severe weather. The patrol noted downed trees, power lines, and significant damage to buildings, with some areas heavily impacted by “tornadoes, thunderstorms, and large hail.”
“It was the scariest thing I’ve ever been through. It happened so fast, and our ears felt like they were about to burst,” Alicia Wilson, a Missouri resident evacuated from her home, told TV station KSDK.
Further south, Mississippiโs governor confirmed six deaths and reported three people missing as of late Saturday. In Texas, local authorities told AFP that four people died in vehicle accidents linked to dust storms and fires that severely reduced road visibility.
In Arkansas, officials reported three deaths and 29 injuries due to the storm. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency and shared that she had spoken with President Donald Trump. “He said to tell the people of Arkansas he loves them and that his administration is here to help with whatever we need following last night’s tornadoes,” Sanders posted on X.
By Saturday evening, over 200,000 homes and businesses across the central United States were without power, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.
Forecasters warned of more tornadoes in the central Gulf Coast states, including Mississippi and Tennessee. “Numerous significant tornadoes, some of which may be long-track and potentially violent, should continue into this evening,” the National Weather Service stated.
Tornadoes, spinning columns of air that extend from thunderstorm clouds to the ground, are most violent in the central and southern states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. This region, known as “Tornado Alley,” experiences volatile weather due to the collision of winds with varying temperatures, with most storms occurring between May and June.
In 2024, 54 people died in tornado-related incidents in the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
