More than 20 twisters reportedly struck the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois and Mississippi. Forecasters warn the worst could be yet to come, with the extreme weather set to peak on Saturday night.
Multiple tornadoes have lashed large parts of the US Southeast and Midwest, flattening homes and leaving at least 16 people dead, officials said.
More than 20 twisters were reported overnight into Saturday morning as a low pressure system drove powerful thunderstorms across the center of the country, said David Roth, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
“Today there is a high risk for more tornadoes across Alabama and Mississippi. The chance is 30%,” he said. “That’s pretty significant.”
At least 11 dead in Missouri alone
Authorities said the most fatalities were recorded in Missouri, where at least 11 people were killed. The state’s police reported that “tornadoes, thunderstorms and large hail” brought down power lines and trees and caused extensive damage to properties.
Tornadoes also hit Illinois, Mississippi and Arkansas, where officials said at least three people died.
“We have teams out surveying the damage from last night’s tornadoes and have first responders on the ground to assist,” Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on X, adding that she had released $250,000 (€228,000) in disaster recovery funds.
Broadcaster NBC reported that more than 400,000 people in the Midwest and South of the US were left without power.
How are the storms expected to develop?
More tornadoes were forecast in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee throughout Saturday.
The National Weather Service said the storms were moving east, possibly arriving in Florida and Georgia by midnight.
Forecasters also said the extreme weather was expected to gain strength, with the risk of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms increasing later in the evening.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah
DW News
