Deadly tornadoes and unprecedented storms are sweeping across the U.S. South and Midwest, leaving dozens dead — at least 40 so far — and a scene of biblical destruction.
HDN Newsroom
At least 40 people died and dozens more were injured over the weekend due to tornadoes and severe storms accompanied by wildfires that hit the central and southern parts of the United States, according to local authorities.
The southern and midwestern states of the US are experiencing the ultimate nightmare, as nature shows its most extreme face.
From Missouri to Kansas to Oklahoma, communities are struggling with debris, while hundreds of thousands of people have been left without power.
At least 40 people have died in Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Alabama and Mississippi as powerful storm systems swept through the U.S. Midwest and South.
Among the cities in the risk zone are Pittsburgh and Erie in Pennsylvania, Jacksonville in Florida and Cleveland in Ohio. Also Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina.
The strongest storms will occur in parts of western Pennsylvania.
According to the data so far, at least 557 thunderstorms were recorded on Friday and 135 on Saturday, while at least 32 of Friday's storms and 34 of Saturday's storms were tornadoes.
The storms have left hundreds of thousands of residents without power, dozens injured in Arkansas and caused casualties linked to the Oklahoma wildfires.
Nearly 9 million people are in tornado areas, including Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, while another 82.8 million residents are affected by high wind warnings, particularly in the central states.
More than 243,000 citizens are without power across the East Coast, South and Midwest. The majority, more than 65,000, are in Pennsylvania, about 57,000 in Ohio and 50,000 in Missouri.
In the South, nearly 46,000 people are without power in West Virginia and 25,000 are without power in North Carolina.
And fires from devastating storms
Catastrophic storms also caused fires!
According to CBS, more than 100 fires occurred in several central states and many pickup trucks overturned.
In Oklahoma, one of those fires, known as the "840 Road Fire," has already burned 27,500 acres and remains unchecked, according to the Oklahoma Department of Forestry. The agency has issued a "red flag" warning for the state's Panahale area, indicating a serious fire risk.
"We are closely monitoring the severe storms and tornadoes that have hit many southern and midwestern states," Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.
"The National Guard was deployed to Arkansas, and my administration stands ready to support local authorities in their efforts to help their communities and repair the damage."
The state of Missouri, with 12 deaths, has paid the heaviest price from extreme weather events that have left behind a scene of destruction, from completely destroyed buildings to overturned trucks on the streets and uprooted trees.
"The damage is enormous," Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe said in a statement after visiting the most affected areas. "Homes and businesses have been destroyed, entire communities have no electricity and the road to reconstruction will not be simple."
The same scenes were seen in many states in the region. Eight people died in Kansas in a sandstorm-stricken shooting, six in Mississippi and four in Oklahoma, which was hit by wildfires, according to local authorities.
