40 Tornadoes Hit 8 U.S. States: 34 Dead, 100 Million Affected, Winds Reach 265 Kmph
Washington, 16 March – (www.deccanlive.com): Eight US states — Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Tennessee — have been hit by 40 tornadoes. According to ABC, the situation could become more severe, as predicted by the weather department.
On Saturday and Sunday, 34 people have died so far, with Missouri reporting the highest number of casualties at 12. Around 100 million people have been affected, and power has been cut off in 200,000 homes.
In Kansas, a dust storm caused a major accident on the highway, involving around 50 vehicles, which led to 8 deaths. In Mississippi, 6 people have died, and 3 are missing.
Winds reaching 100 km/h have been recorded, while Arkansas experienced storm speeds up to 265 km/h, destroying buildings and roads. There are also warnings of snowstorms near the Canadian border and wildfires in warmer regions.
Tornado Speed to Increase, Baseball-Sized Hail Expected
The US Storm Prediction Center has warned that these fast-moving tornadoes could cause more serious damage. States including East Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, West Georgia, and Florida are on tornado alert. Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico face the threat of wildfires.
Over 200,000 homes in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan have lost power due to strong winds. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for parts of South Dakota and West Minnesota, with up to 6 inches of snow expected.
