At least 40 people have lost their lives, and dozens more have been injured following a series of violent tornadoes and storms that tore through the central and southern United States over the weekend. Local authorities confirmed the rising death toll as emergency teams assessed the widespread destruction.
Severe weather conditions caused significant damage across multiple states, with homes reduced to rubble, trees uprooted, and vehicles overturned. Local news footage captured the devastation, highlighting the extensive impact on affected communities.
In Kansas, low visibility from a severe dust storm led to a massive 50-vehicle crash, resulting in the deaths of eight people, according to police reports. Meanwhile, in Oklahoma, wildfires fueled by strong winds claimed four lives, as confirmed by the state’s emergency management department.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves reported on social media that at least six fatalities had been recorded in the state, with three people still missing.
President Donald Trump, in a statement on Truth Social, expressed concern over the disaster, revealing that National Guard troops had been deployed to Arkansas, where three people were confirmed dead and 32 others injured.
“The damage is overwhelming,” Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe stated after surveying some of the worst-hit areas. He emphasized the severe impact, noting that homes and businesses had been destroyed and entire communities left without power.
Missouri’s State Highway Patrol confirmed 12 storm-related deaths, sharing images of a marina where boats had been stacked atop one another by the fierce winds.
In Texas, local authorities attributed four deaths to vehicle crashes caused by dust storms and fires that severely reduced road visibility.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the United States recorded nearly 1,800 tornadoes last year, making it the second-highest year on record, behind only 2004.
Authorities continue to assess the full scale of the disaster as recovery efforts are underway.
