Violent storms and tornadoes have torn across the US south and midwest, killing at least seven people and downing power lines and trees, smashing homes and upturning cars across multiple states.
The outbreak of storms and tornadoes has resulted in at least seven deaths in Tennessee and Missouri, with further fatalities expected to be confirmed. One of the victims has been named: a 68-year-old man named Garry Moore who was a fire chief in Cape Girardeau county, Missouri. At least a dozen injuries have also been reported from the storms.
The White House has approved a state of emergency request from Tennessee, where rising floodwaters have menaced Nashville.
Indiana, meanwhile, has declared its own state of emergency, activating 50 national guard members to deal with severe weather that has affected 41 of the state’s counties.
“In times like these, I’m immensely grateful for the soldiers who are on the ground ensuring Hoosier safety,” said Mike Braun, Indiana’s governor.
The storms are now tracking east, after leaving more than 213,000 households without power from Texas to Ohio. A “high-risk” excessive rainfall warning was issued by the National Weather Service for parts of Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky that are expected to be deluged over the next two days.
Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi on Wednesday evening. In Arkansas, the National Weather Service told residents: “This is a life threatening situation. Seek shelter now.”
At least one person died due to the storms in Missouri, police there said, with multiple reports of damage across several states. Homes were ripped apart in Lake City, Arkansas, with trees shredded and cars flipped over.
In parts of Tennessee, people were told to not use the roads due to the amount of debris on them. Several Tennessee school districts have announced closures or virtual learning in preparation for tomorrow’s anticipated storms, the Weather Channel reports.
The Tennessee governor, Bill Lee, after examining the devastation, said Thursday it was too early to know whether there were more deaths as searches persisted.
A rare tornado emergency was declared around Blytheville, Arkansas, on Wednesday evening after debris was hurled at least 25,000ft into the air.
“It’s definitely going to be a really horrible situation here come sunrise in the morning in those areas, coming out of Arkansas,” Chelly Amin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Associated Press.
In Indiana, winds reached 81mph (130km/h) and caused widespread power outages. Debris from damage has covered roads in the state and schools have been closed.
While the US south and midwest have long faced the prospect of such storms, the severity of such events is being amplified by the climate crisis, scientists have said.
Tornadoes may be shifting to different parts of the country, while a warmer climate holds more moisture, leading to more intense downpours.
The coming days are likely to bring severe flash flooding across several states, with more than a foot of rain possible. There will be “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” until Saturday, the National Weather Service warned, adding: “Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible.”
Flooding in rural south-eastern Oregon caused by historic levels of snowmelt and rainfall has prompted evacuation orders, school closures and public health concerns.
Officials say more than 1,000 people are under the highest level of evacuation orders. County authorities say drinking water is safe, but warn that floodwaters could be contaminated with bacteria such as E coli. Residents have been urged to avoid floodwaters when possible. The Oregon governor Tina Kotek declared a state of emergency due to the flooding, which followed rapid snowmelt in the area.
Heavy rain has already started to swell rivers around Memphis, Tennessee, with the National Weather Service warning of the threat of flooding in the city as soil becomes saturated with water.
“Flash flooding will emerge as a primary concern with this extremely active pattern,” the weather service said on Thursday.
The looming floods are likely to cause further damage and increase the death toll. One man did manage an unusual escape, though, after a tornado destroyed his home in Selmer, Tennessee.
Matt Vandevander jumped into his bathtub to shelter from the storm but it ripped him out of his house and threw him into his neighbor’s yard. Somehow, Vandevander survived with just a few scratches.
“It’s a miracle,” he told WMC, a CNN affiliate. “I’m very happy – happier than I probably should be.”
