Cliff Notes
- Six fatalities have been reported due to severe storms sweeping across the US, with three deaths in Missouri and three others in Texas from dust storm-related car crashes.
- Tornado warnings are in effect for several states, with Missouri declaring a state of emergency as tornadoes potentially reach EF2 strength, accompanied by baseball-sized hail in some regions.
- The extreme weather has led to widespread destruction, leaving over 400,000 households without power and prompting officials to urge residents to stay vigilant and heed safety warnings.
Six dead as storms sweep US states
Six people are reported to have died as powerful storms hit large parts of the United States. Authorities in Missouri say three people died there, while three others were killed in car crashes during dust storms in Texas on Friday.
Around 138 million people are at risk of severe weather in central and southern US states. Tornado warnings are in place in parts of Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Indiana, and Kentucky.
In Missouri, where a state of emergency was declared on Friday, they are predicted to reach EF2 on the tornado strength scale, which requires wind speeds of between 113mph and 157mph.
Hail the size of baseballs were reported in Christian County, the US weather service said.
Lorries fall over in dust storms
Writing on X, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said two people died in Bakersfield, Ozark County, and several others were injured. Another person died after a mobile home was hit by storms in Butler County, on Missouri’s Arkansas border, authorities told NBC News. Butler County authorities said the number of dead there could rise, with rescue operations ongoing.
In Texas, three people were killed in car crashes caused by a dust storm on Friday, according to the state’s public safety department.One of the deaths happened after three lorries collided with four other vehicles in Palmer County, Bovina’s fire chief Cesar Marquez said. The public safety department sergeant Cindy Barkley said the crashes were caused by high winds and low visibility.
The crash scene in Austin, Texas
Wind speeds in northern Texas were as high as 62mph, according to the National Weather Service. Dramatic videos from across the state – and Oklahoma – show huge trucks falling on their side with the strength of the dust storm.
The extreme weather has destroyed buildings, compromised power supplies, and caused at least 100 wildfires in multiple states. More than 400,000 households are without power in midwestern and southern states, according to the monitoring website PowerOutage.us.
Appealing to residents after implementing emergency measures, Missouri governor Mike Kehoe said on Friday: “I urge all Missourians to stay alert, monitor weather forecasts, and follow official warnings.”