PIEDMONT, Mo. — A powerful storm system delivering violent tornadoes and strong winds has tragically left at least 32 people dead across the central and southern United States. This destructive weather wreaked havoc on communities, destroying homes, schools, and even flipping over large trucks.
Dakota Henderson from Wayne County, Missouri, witnessed the devastation firsthand. He and others were involved in rescues when they found five bodies in the debris outside his aunt’s severely damaged home. “It was a very rough deal last night,” he said, expressing deep concern for those who lost their lives during this catastrophic event.
In Butler County, Coroner Jim Akers described the chaos where one man died, referring to the scene as a “debris field.” He noted that the house was so destroyed it was unrecognizable, saying, “We were walking on walls.”
Reports indicate that six deaths have been confirmed in Mississippi across three counties, with some individuals still missing as the storm system moved east toward Alabama, where homes were reported damaged and roads became impassable. Arkansas has also faced loss, with three confirmed deaths, prompting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to declare a state of emergency. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp made a similar declaration as the storm’s path continued.
In addition to tornadoes, dust storms fueled by high winds earlier in the system led to tragic accidents, including a highway pileup in Kansas that claimed eight lives. This collision involved at least 50 vehicles, while three more individuals perished in crashes caused by dust storms in Texas.
This extreme weather has been projected to affect over 100 million people. Winds are raising concerns of blizzard conditions in the north while also increasing the risk of wildfires further south. In Oklahoma, evacuations began as the state recorded over 130 fires, with Governor Kevin Stitt noting the destruction of nearly 300 homes. He revealed that he personally lost a home on his ranch due to the fires.
To the north, the National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, expecting snowfall between 3 to 6 inches, with possibilities of up to a foot. Despite the severity, experts assert that such weather extremes are not out of the ordinary for this time of year.
As the danger continues, significant tornadoes were still being reported late Saturday, particularly affecting areas stretching from Louisiana and Mississippi to Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle. Witnesses like Bailey Dillon in Mississippi described enormous destruction, noting how cabins and RVs were flipped over. “The amount of damage was catastrophic,” Dillon emphasized, as she and her fiancé went to check on nearby communities.
Images from this extreme weather have circulated widely on social media, capturing the severity of the situation. Tad Peters and his father encountered the storm while stopping for gas in Missouri, quickly realizing they were in the midst of a tornado when they saw debris swirling around them.
The impact of these storms is tragic and profound, serving as a stark reminder of nature’s power and the need for readiness and resilience in the face of such disasters.
