A series of tornadoes and storms have left at least 31 dead in several states in the United States. The states most affected by the natural disasters are Missouri, Texas, Mississippi, and Arkansas, where most of the fatalities have been reported. Authorities continue to assess the damage and do not rule out that the number of deceased may rise in the coming hours.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency in the region due to the devastation caused by the storms. It is expected that the crisis situation will persist for the next two weeks. In Missouri, 12 deaths were reported, followed by Ozark with three dead, and Wayne and Jefferson with one dead each. Local police reported significant material damages, ranging from fallen trees to damaged buildings.
In Kansas, a dust storm triggered a traffic accident involving around 50 vehicles, leaving at least eight people dead. In total, at least 16 deaths have been recorded in the south and midwest of the country, with 29 injured across eight counties according to NBC News reports.
In Mississippi, six deaths were reported; in Texas, at least four people died in traffic accidents during the storm. Three other people died in Alabama and one in Oklahoma due to adverse weather conditions. Additionally, nearly 300,000 people were left without electricity due to the storms that were expected to continue bringing tornadoes, strong winds, and hail in the coming hours.
President Donald Trump has activated the National Guard in Arkansas and offered federal aid to the states affected by the crisis. A warning has been issued for isolated tornadoes, hail, and powerful wind gusts. Authorities remain on alert for the possibility of more storms in the region.
