26 killed as multiple tornadoes & dust storms wreak havoc across the US

Violent tornadoes wreaked havoc in parts of the United States, killing at least 26 people across the country. The monster storm system wiped out schools and toppled semitractor-trailers in several US states. The weather condition is less likely to improve in the coming days, with authorities warning more severe storms are expected to brew by late Saturday.

In western Kansas, a dust storm reportedly killed eight people as high winds and dust caused the collision of more than 55 vehicles on an interstate highway. The state of Missouri recorded the most fatalities this time as it faced scattered twisters. Overnight tornadoes killed at least 12 in the state, The Guardian reported. The deaths included a man who was killed after a tornado ripped apart his home.

“It was unrecognizable as a home. Just a debris field,” said Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, describing the scene that confronted rescuers. “The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls.” Arkansas reported three storm-related deaths in Independence County, with an additional 29 people injured in eight counties.

26 Tornadoes were reported across the US

Three people were killed in a car crash due to a dust storm in Amarillo County in Texas on Friday. One of the pileups involved an estimated 38 cars. “It’s the worst I’ve ever seen,” Sgt Cindy Barkley of the state’s Department of Public Safety told local reporters. “We couldn’t tell that they were all together until the dust settled.”

According to the National Weather Service, at least 26 tornadoes were reported across the US but were not confirmed to have made a touchdown late Friday. On early Saturday, a low-pressure system drove powerful thunderstorms across parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri, according to David Roth, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center.

“Today, there is a high risk for more tornadoes across Alabama and Mississippi, the chance is 30 per cent,” he said. “That’s pretty significant.” The highest possible risk of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms was on Saturday night, forecasters warned. The National Weather Service issued multiple tornadoes and severe thunderstorm warnings early on Saturday morning for areas in Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and Texas.

NSW urged residents not to seek refuge in vehicles outside under overpasses or trees. Instead, they advised people to get off the road and drive to a designated shelter, basement, or safe room. The authorities noted that the next best option for shelter is a small, windowless room or hallway on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.

With inputs from agencies.