Severe storms and tornadoes have wreaked havoc across several states in the Midwest and Southern regions of the United States from Wednesday evening (April 2) to Thursday night (3rd). Among the hardest-hit states are Arkansas, Missouri, and Tennessee, with at least 7 reported fatalities and 13 injuries so far.
According to multiple media reports, the storm system stretched from northeastern Texas all the way northeast to Ohio, sweeping through large areas of the central and western United States. Approximately 4 million people across seven states are facing the risk of “persistent, life-threatening flash flooding.” By Thursday night, over 30 tornado incidents had been reported.
State officials have confirmed that this severe weather has resulted in 5 deaths in Tennessee, 1 each in Missouri and Indiana. Reports of injuries have also been documented in several states. Video footage shows powerful tornadoes moving swiftly, flipping roofs off buildings, and even lifting vehicles into the air, creating a scene of great devastation.
The latest data from the U.S. power tracking website PowerOutage.us reveals that nearly 130,000 households and businesses in five states, from Mississippi to Michigan, are currently without power.
Thursday night saw the issuance of a rare “excessive rainfall” high-risk alert by the National Weather Service, warning of consecutive days of heavy rain that could potentially trigger “widespread, rare, or even catastrophic flooding” in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky in the coming days.