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A series of powerful tornadoes and severe storms tore through the central United States, leaving at least 27 dead and causing widespread devastation, with homes destroyed, vehicles overturned, and thousands without power.
27 dead and dozens injured as storms wreak havoc across central US
Washington,UPDATED: Mar 16, 2025 09:04 IST
At least 27 people died and dozens more injured on Saturday when tornadoes and violent storms swept across the central United States, officials said.
Local news footage showed roofs torn off homes and large trucks overturned, as forecasters warned of more tornadoes over the weekend. Eight people died in Kansas in a crash involving more than 50 vehicles, caused by low visibility during a "severe dust storm," local police reported.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed 12 storm-related fatalities and shared images of boats piled on top of one another at a marina destroyed by the weather. State police also reported downed trees and power lines, as well as extensive damage to buildings, with some areas severely impacted by "tornadoes, thunderstorms, and large hail."
"It was the scariest thing I've ever been through. It was so fast, our ears were all about to burst," Alicia Wilson, who was evacuated from her home in Missouri, told TV station KSDK.
Six fatalities were reported in Missouri's Wayne County, three in Ozark Countywhere multiple injuries were also reportedand one each in Butler, Jefferson, and St. Louis counties, police said. Further south in Texas, local authorities told AFP that four people had died in vehicle accidents linked to dust storms and fires that reduced visibility on the roads.
In the neighbouring state of Arkansas, officials said three people had died and 29 had been injured in the storm.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency in response and said she had spoken with President Donald Trump.
"He said to tell the people of Arkansas he loves them, and he and his administration are here to help with whatever we need following last night's tornadoes," Sanders wrote on X.
At least 200,000 homes and businesses across the central United States were without power by Saturday evening, according to tracking site poweroutage.us.
More tornadoes were forecast on Saturday in the central Gulf Coast states, including Mississippi and Tennessee.
"Numerous significant tornadoes, some of which may be long-track and potentially violent, should continue into this evening," the Weather Service stated.
Tornadoes are spinning columns of air that touch the ground from massive cumulonimbus thunderstorm clouds. The central and southern American states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas experience the most violent ones due to unique geographical and meteorological conditions.
Dubbed "Tornado Alley," this region is where winds of widely varying temperatures meet in volatile, potent storm clouds, with most storms occurring from May to June.
In 2024, 54 people died in tornado-related incidents in the United States, according to the Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Published By:
Meghna Barik
Published On:
Mar 16, 2025
