Houses Destroyed, Vehicles Tossed: At Least 26 Dead After Violent Tornadoes Rake US States

At least 26 have been killed and dozens injured as devastating storms and violent tornadoes ripped through south-central and eastern US.

The unrelenting tornadoes have so far shredded homes and shopping centers, and collapsed a theater roof during a heavy metal concert in Illinois. The storm also brought wildfires to the southern Plains and blizzard conditions to the Upper Midwest.

AP

Death toll so far

In total, at least 26 weather-related deaths have been reported across eight states, according to the latest numbers compiled Saturday by CBS News, and tens of thousands of people were without power. More than 6,10,000 homes were without power Saturday, according to the poweroutage.us website.

A spokesperson for the emergency management agency in Tennessee, one of the states hardest hit by storms that have struck since Friday, confirmed ten weather-related fatalities to AFP.

That came on top of 16 deaths reported in Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama in the south, and Indiana and Illinois in the Midwest. The storm system on Saturday was bearing down on the US east coast, with thunderstorms, hail and powerful winds predicted through late Sunday.

AP

Extensive damage suffered

Daylight revealed extensive damage, with several homes torn apart, cars overturned, power lines toppled and trees ripped out of the ground.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has declared a state of emergency and activated the national guard to help with recovery efforts. She said she had spoken to President Joe Biden, who had promised to expedite federal aid.

The city of Wynne, in northeastern Arkansas, was "cut in half by damage from east to west," Mayor Jennifer Hobbs told CNN. Wynne City Councilmember Lisa Powell Carter said the town about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of Memphis, Tennessee, was without power and roads were full of debris.

"I'm in a panic trying to get home, but we can't get home," she said on Friday night. "Wynne is so demolished. ... There's houses destroyed, trees down on streets."

?? At least 600 people were injured due to tornadoes that hit the US state of Arkansas, according to the local 5news TV channel.

The main blow of the elements fell on the city of Little Rock. A lot of destruction is known. pic.twitter.com/FWnHPw3I3M

¡ª marina alikantes (@Marianna9110) April 1, 2023

Storms rake through US states

The police department in Covington, Tennessee, said on Facebook that the west Tennessee city was impassable after power lines and trees fell on roads when the storm passed through Friday evening.

Authorities in Tipton County, north of Memphis, said a tornado appeared to have touched down near the middle school in Covington and in other locations in the rural county. Tornadoes also caused sporadic damage in eastern Iowa. One veered just west of Iowa City, home to the University of Iowa.

Video from KCRG-TV showed toppled power poles and roofs ripped off an apartment building in the suburb of Coralville and significantly damaged homes in the city of Hills.

?? A driver managed to capture the moment a tornado swept over his vehicle in Little Rock, Arkansas, Friday.

?Tornadoes Kill at Least 21 Across US Midwest and South https://t.co/fwNeqRfx1T pic.twitter.com/xGU0yWqtTs

¡ª Voice of America (@VOANews) April 1, 2023

There were more confirmed twisters in Iowa, wind-whipped grass fires in Oklahoma, and blizzard conditions in the Upper Midwest as the storm system threatened a broad swath of the country home to some 85 million people.

Fire crews battled several blazes near El Dorado, Kansas, and some residents were asked to evacuate, including about 250 elementary school children who were relocated to a high school.

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