At least 22 people in Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky lost their lives, US media reported on Monday. Arkansas and Texas were hit particularly hard. Eight deaths were reported in Arkansas and seven in Texas – some of the victims include children. According to the Washington Post, storms caused the greatest destruction in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kentucky. The extreme weather swept across several states over the weekend.
President Joe Biden was informed of the situation. “Our condolences go out to all those affected,” the White House said. The organization is in direct contact with the relevant authorities and is ready to provide assistance if needed.
Tornadoes and hail
Tornadoes were also reported in many places. Media reported hailstones that were about the size of tennis balls. According to preliminary estimates, at least one of the storms reached level three out of five – tornadoes of this classification can reach speeds of up to 265 kilometers per hour.
Rescue and relief workers were still working on Monday, while hundreds of people were left standing in front of the rubble of their homes. Local authorities and eyewitnesses shared photos and videos of the destruction on social media. The storms caused heavy semi-trailers and their loads to tip over, leveled buildings and tore down power lines. According to the website poweroutage.us, almost half a million households in Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia, Missouri and Arkansas were still without power early in the morning. A state of emergency was declared in several regions.
Front moves further east
Monday is a public holiday in the USA. On Memorial Day, summer is unofficially ushered in with the opening of the bathing season. Many people meet up to swim and have a barbecue. In some places, however, the celebrations are likely to be cancelled: According to the weather service, the storm front is expected to move eastwards. There, warnings have been issued of strong gusts of wind and hail. Tornadoes are again possible. At the same time, the weather service issued heat warnings for the south of the USA – due to perceived temperatures of over 45 degrees.
Experts attribute the increase in natural disasters in the USA – storms, floods and forest fires – to the effects of climate change. According to the US weather service, the number of tornadoes has increased many times over in recent years.
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Source: Nachrichten
