Flooding swept away a vehicle, drowning a woman in Missouri; a tree fell on a home killing a woman in Arkansas; and a death was reported in Sunday morning storms that raked Mississippi.
Tornado 6 is classified as an EF-0, said to be a brief tornado, in the Cumby area.
CBS 11 is partnering with Albertson’s to benefit the Salvation Army’s disaster relief efforts after deadly tornadoes ravaged through Van Zandt County and Canton Saturday.
One tornado was approximately a mile wide, the National Weather Service said. “The biggest impact from these storms will be damaging winds and hail with the risk of isolated tornadoes throughout the day,”said CNN meteorologist Michael Guy”.
Officials said there was extensive damage in South Van Zandt County, including destroyed homes, downed powerlines and debris, and they urged people to stay out of the area as rescue and cleanup crews work.
At least 14 people have been killed in the U.S. by tornadoes and flooding as severe storms hit the South and Midwest.
At least four tornadoes landed in the surrounding counties, two of which exceeded winds of 140 miles per hour, earning a “strong” tornado intensity rating, the National Weather Service said in a statement. The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management said at least five people had died in the storms.
A 72-year-old woman drowned even as her husband tried to save her as the vehicle they were in was swept away by rushing waters in Clever, Missouri, reports the Kansas City Star.
The storms were expected to move into Alabama Sunday evening and continue along a path extending to MI. In Durant, in central MS, one person died in the storm. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson and assistant Smith County fire marshals have been requested to assist the emergency management coordinator in Van Zandt County. Later Sunday the agency reported the death of a child from Rankin County, 20 miles east of Jackson, who died from electric shock in flood waters.
Heavy rain in the Midwest is expected to continue on Sunday, along with wind gusts of 60mph. “I really, for just a split second, I thought it’s gonna snap my neck”, York said. “But one moment you can have everything and the next, everything is gone”, she said. The Metro Nashville Police Department posted on its Twitter account that the “heavy metal soccer goal” had been blown over by the winds.
Middle Tennessee was hit by a strong line of storms that knocked down trees and power lines earlier Sunday.
It was also confirmed that a 10-year-old girl drowned in floodwater in Northwest Arkansas.
Dozens more were injured, according to USA officials.
The tornadoes touched down Saturday as severe storms ripped through parts of the South and Midwest, bringing heavy rain and flash flood warnings for a section stretching from eastern Oklahoma to western Kentucky and parts of IL. “There are several places that have seen water levels several feet higher than anytime in Missouri’s recorded history”, he said.
Her cousin said the loss was devastating.
The National Weather Service said flood warnings would likely be extended in parts of Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and in, where major to record flooding would continue.
The National Weather Service also issued a blizzard warning for parts of Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Another woman was killed when floods swept her away.
Missouri Governor Eric Greitens said over 30 rescues have been conducted and some residents have been told to evacuate.
Sunday, search and rescue teams were going house to house, looking for people who may be still trapped in the rubble.
At a news conference on Sunday, Canton Mayor Lou Ann Everett said, “We have at least four fatalities”.
The town of Canton, located about 50 miles east of Dallas, was hit especially hard.
Seven tornadoes struck northeastern Texas Saturday, killing five and leaving dozens injured.
Throughout the region, tornadoes tore roofs off homes, ripped trees out of the ground and tossed cars around “like toys”, one witness said.
