At least five individuals, including a four-month-old infant, lost their lives as dozens of tornadoes tore through the central United States, causing extensive damage and power outages for tens of thousands of residents.
The havoc began on Friday with separate storms, claiming four lives in Oklahoma, where a state of emergency was declared in twelve counties. Additionally, a fifth fatality occurred in Iowa following another storm system striking the Midwest.
Preliminary investigations by the National Weather Service (NWS) revealed that some of Saturday’s tornadoes had wind gusts exceeding 136 miles (218 kilometers) per hour. The storms, spanning from Texas to Missouri, also brought heavy rainfall of up to seven inches (18 centimeters) in some areas within a few hours.
Among the hardest-hit areas was Sulphur, Oklahoma, where video footage depicted demolished homes and overturned vehicles. Approximately 100 injuries were reported in the aftermath, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health.
Holdenville and Marietta also suffered significant damage from the storms.
At a news conference in Sulphur, Speaker of the Oklahoma state House of Representatives, Charles McCall, expressed resilience, affirming that the affected communities would recover and rebuild.
Governor Kevin Stitt, after visiting Sulphur, described the devastation as the worst he had witnessed during his tenure, noting the destruction of numerous downtown businesses.
President Joe Biden offered full federal support to Governor Stitt, as confirmed by the White House. Biden’s outreach followed a separate weather event on Friday that brought over 70 tornadoes to Nebraska and Iowa, particularly impacting the city of Omaha.
Residents like Brent Richardson recounted their harrowing experiences, describing the tornadoes as a deafening force of nature that left utter chaos and destruction in their wake.
Nebraska’s governor issued emergency declarations for three counties on Sunday, ensuring additional funding for rescue and recovery efforts. Despite a lowered tornado threat, meteorologists forecasted continued severe weather, including damaging winds and hail, across northeastern Texas, northern Louisiana, Arkansas, and southern Missouri.
