Owasso, Oklahoma: Tornadoes tore through central and southern parts of the United States on Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction that damaged homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The powerful storms uprooted trees, downed power lines, and led to mass power outages across multiple states.
The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed at least 15 tornado reports across four states by late Wednesday. While no immediate fatalities were reported, the severe weather system also brought hail and torrential rain, raising concerns about potential flooding and further destruction.
Multi-Day Storm System Threatens Millions
Millions of residents remained under tornado and flash flood alerts, with the NWS warning that the severe weather would persist into early Thursday. Forecasters described Wednesday as “the beginning of a multi-day catastrophic and potentially historic heavy rainfall event,” signaling ongoing threats in the days ahead.
Scott Kleebauer, a meteorologist with the NWS, underscored the severity of the situation: “The word for tonight is ‘chaotic.’ This is a large expanse of storms migrating slowly to the east, stretching from southeast Michigan down into southeastern Arkansas.”
Missouri Town Among Hardest Hit
In Nevada, Missouri, a tornado caused extensive damage, toppling power poles and flipping multiple empty train cars. The state’s Emergency Management Agency confirmed the destruction in a social media post, noting that several businesses in the town suffered significant structural damage.
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Authorities issued tornado and flash flood warnings for parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and Oklahoma as the storm system continued its eastward march.
Historic Flooding Event Expected
The NWS has labeled the upcoming rainfall in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi as a “generational flood event.” Some areas could receive as much as 15 inches (38.1 cm) of rain by the weekend, increasing the risk of rivers overflowing and triggering “catastrophic river flooding”.
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As the severe weather system rages on, more than 350,000 customers across the affected states were left without power, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us. Emergency response teams remain on high alert, bracing for further damage as the storms continue to intensify.
