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At least 26 people are now dead after tornadoes and severe storms struck several southern and Midwestern states on Friday, according to various news outlets.
According toThe Hill, thestorms struck at least eight stateswith nine reported deaths in Tennessee, four in Arkansas, four in Illinois and three in Indiana. A week ago, 26 people died in Mississippi and one in Alabama from atwisterthat passed through, perNPR.
Leading up to the storms, the National Weather Service issued arare level 5 “high risk” outlookover portions of the Mid-Mississippi Valley to the Mid-South, predicting several “strong to potentially violent” tornadoes in the area.
The Covington Police Department in Tennessee wrote in a statement on Facebook Saturday that the city is “impassable,” sharing photos of the damage, including homes and fallen power lines, “to keep people from being tempted to take to the roads.”
In Arkansas, at least five people are dead after tornadoes swept through the cities of Wynne and Little Rock, destroying several homes and businesses in the area.
Wynne’s county coroner confirmed to Fox 13 News thatfour were killed overnightas a tornado touched the ground moving at about 50 mph. CrossRidge Community Hospital located in Wynne confirmed to WATE 6 that at least26 people had been admittedto the hospital due to storm-related injuries.
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On Friday night, Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. also tweeted that there were at least24 people hospitalized. Fox Weather reported that the number of those injured hadgrown to 30 and at least one person was deadin the aftermath of the tornado. Little Rock Police issued a statement asking people toavoid the areas which received extensive damage, including the Rodney Parham and Shackleford area, Murray Park, and Reservoir Road up to the Arkansas River.
“As dawn breaks we start the long process of recovery and rebuilding.Little Rock is resilient& we will rebound stronger,” Scott tweeted on Saturday.
In Belvidere, Ill.,one person was killed and 28 people were injuredat a metal rock concert held at the Apollo Theatre after the roof collapsed due to severe weather, per CNN. Belvidere Fire Chief Shawn Schadle told the outlet that although tornadoes had been predicted to hit the area, there were no reports that one “actually” touched the ground.
In Sullivan County, Ind., Sullivan City Mayor Clint Lambconfirmed three deaths and nearly 200 structures damagedthroughout the city in a news conference, calling it “absolutely unbelievable,like nothing I’ve ever witnessed,” per PBS. Fox Weather reported that the tornado tore through the area at about 10:30 p.m. and traveled about 3-4 miles, destroying homes and businesses in the rural town.
“It is far too early to know the extent of the devastation; however, we can tell you that there is aline of damage covering several miles,” wrote Sullivan County Sheriff Jason Bobbit in a statement on Facebook Saturday. “Homes in both the city and county are severely damaged and some are completely leveled.”
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“Our worst fears became a reality earlier when we learned that members of our community have lost their lives,” he continued. “Please pray for our community and the families affected. And pray for our emergency responders and utility workers who are still searching for residents and making the scene safe.”
Mississippi’s Emergency Management Agency also tweeted that there wasat least one fatality and four people injuredin Pontotoc County due to the “severe weather.”
The tornadoes impacted several power lines across the country in states like Minnesota, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, leavingover 559,000 people without poweron Saturday, according to electricity tracking website poweroutage.us.
source: people.com
