The death toll from severe storms and tornadoes that swept across the South and Midwest over the weekend has risen to 36, with six states reporting fatalities. Meanwhile, parts of Pennsylvania, New York, and the Mid-Atlantic remain under National Weather Service (NWS) warnings for damaging winds and tornadoes.
President Trump’s Response
President Donald Trump expressed condolences for the victims, stating that “36 innocent lives have been lost, and many more devastated.” The National Guard has been deployed to Arkansas, and the federal government has pledged assistance to state and local authorities.
State-by-State Impact
- Missouri: 12 fatalities across five counties, with one person still missing. More than 500 homes, a church, and a grocery store were destroyed in Butler County, along with an entire mobile home park.
- Mississippi: 6 deaths, including one in Covington County, two in Jefferson Davis County, and three in Walthall County. A total of 29 people were injured across 21 counties.
- Arkansas: 3 fatalities and 32 injuries, as reported by the state’s Department of Emergency Management.
- Kansas: 8 deaths from a 50-car pileup in Sherman County, caused by a severe dust storm. Many injured victims were transported to local hospitals.
- Alabama: 2 deaths confirmed, with damage reported in 52 of the state’s 67 counties.
- Texas: 3 fatalities from crashes caused by dust storms near Amarillo.
Tornado and Power Outages
- 39 tornadoes were reported between Friday and midday Sunday, though final confirmations are pending.
- Over 340,000 customers were left without power as of Sunday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.
The storm system continues to move eastward, with officials urging residents in Pennsylvania, New York, and other affected states to remain on high alert for potential tornadoes and high winds. Emergency services continue to assess damage and conduct rescue operations in the hardest-hit areas.
