Violent storms spawned massive tornadoes and left a trail of destruction and casualties as renewed severe thunderstorms occurred again in the United States over the weekend.
The recent US storm rampaged through the South and Midwest sections of the country, bringing powerful winds and causing a tornado outbreak responsible for downing trees and power lines.
The monster storm came a week after a similar yet separate severe storm system barreled across the southern US, killing 26 people when a deadly tornado struck Mississippi.
March's tornado outbreak also caused widespread disruption in the state of Georgia and Alabama, wherein at least one person was reported killed by another twister.
New US Tornado Outbreak
TOPSHOT - The remains of crushed house and cars are seen in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, on March 25, 2023, after a tornado touched down in the area. - At least 25 people were killed by devastating tornadoes that ripped across the southern US state of Mississippi, tearing off roofs, smashing cars and flattening entire neighborhoods, with the region readying for more severe weather Sunday. The powerful weather system, accompanied by thunderstorms and driving rain, cut a path of more than 100 miles (60 kilometers) across the state late March 24, 2023, slamming several towns along the way.
The new US tornado outbreak killed a total of at least 32 people as the tornadic storm passed through the Midwest and South, affecting communities in at least seven states, according to local officials, The New York Times reported.
In Illinois, one person died and at least 32 others were injured after a roof a theater, packed with many people, fell due to the severe weather.
This occurred after a powerful storm system on Friday, March 31, emerged.
Authorities stated on Saturday, April 1, related fatalities were reported in other states like Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, wherein Tennessee had 15 deaths occurring, as cited by The New York Times.
In Arkansas, the officials said five people died, including one man in the city of North Little Rock and four in the city of Wynne, during a spate of scattered tornadoes, even at a distance of approximately 100 miles between the two cities.
Rising Death Toll
The latest death toll figure is higher compared to the initial ones reported by Reuters and other media sources during the weekend.
However, the increasing number is expected as emergency services and rescue crew continue to cleanup debris, which can potentially hide a body.
During a White House statement, U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday made phone calls with Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the mayors of Little Rock and Wynne about offering federal government support.
Tornado Watch
On Sunday, April 2, the system shifted to the southern part of the Great Plains, wherein almost 13 million people in north Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth area, experienced a heightened risk of severe weather during the afternoon and early evening hours, according to the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) of the National Weather Service (NWS), as cited by CNN.
According to officials, the Dallas Office of Emergency Management activated sirens across the city due to occurrence of large hail which led to the grounding of flights at Dallas airports.
With this the NWS issued a tornado watch for some areas of Oklahoma and Texas.
Furthermore, the NWS also confirmed at least four tornadoes touching down across New Jersey on Saturday, specifically in the state's Cinnaminson, Sea Girt, Jackson, and Howell Township areas, CBS News reported.
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