Authorities reported at least 32 people were killed as severe tornadoes and deadly storms slammed numerous states in the US’s South and Midwest over the weekend.
CNN reported that on April 1, more than 50 preliminary tornado reports were received in at least seven states.
Tornadoes smashed houses and businesses, ripped roofs off buildings, splintered trees, and flung automobiles into the air.
One such tornado ripped Wynne, Arkansas, in two, leaving a path of wreckage from the city’s western to eastern limits, according to Mayor Jennifer Hobbs, who told CNN on Sunday: “We’re just gonna need all the help that we can (get) to help these families recover.”
Another individual died in North Little Rock, some 100 miles southwest.
Deaths have been verified throughout a broad range of states, including several casualties in Arkansas, Indiana, and Tennessee, where the statewide death toll increased to 15 on Sunday, according to officials.
Two children and one adult were discovered dead after officers responded to complaints about trees that had fallen on residences, according to the Memphis Police Department.
County Mayor Larry Smith confirmed to CNN on Sunday that nine other people died in McNairy County, Tennessee.
Sheriff Guy Buck told CNN on Saturday evening that the storm “crossed our county completely from one side to the other”, Authorities were still searching for destroyed buildings.
At least five people were killed in Indiana and four in Illinois, including one who died when the roof of the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere collapsed on April 1 as more than 200 people were gathering for a heavy metal performance.
One death was also reported by state and municipal officials in Alabama, Mississippi, and Delaware.
This fresh tragedy comes only a week after a powerful tornado destroyed a hamlet in Mississippi, killing 25 people, according to the Xinhua news agency.
During the same period of violent weather, Alabama recorded the 26th death.
The storm danger has now switched to the Southern Plains, where approximately 13 million people in north Texas, including the Dallas-Fort Worth region, are at risk of severe weather in the afternoon and early evening hours, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
According to officials, the Dallas Office of Emergency Management sounded its sirens for the city “due to huge hail” while aircraft were halted at Dallas airports.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, both Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field Airport ordered ground halt as heavy weather moved into Texas. Flights were momentarily halted but have subsequently resumed, according to the FAA.
Tornado warnings have been issued for regions of Oklahoma and Texas by the National Weather Service.
