Powerful storms killed at least 20 people, injured hundreds and left a wide trail of destruction in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, flattening homes and hitting a truck service station where dozens of people took shelter, in a new episode of weather lethal in the central United States.
The storms caused the most damage in the region stretching from north Dallas to far northwest Arkansas, and the system threatened to bring more violent events to other parts of the north-central region of the country in the afternoon.
The storms caused the most damage in the region stretching from north Dallas to far northwest Arkansas, and the system threatened to bring more violent events to other parts of the north-central region of the country in the afternoon.
By Monday, forecasters say, the highest risk will shift eastward, covering a wide swath of the country from Alabama to near New York City.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that he had declared a state of emergency Monday morning in a post on social media site X following “multiple reports of tornadoes and wind damage.”
Seven deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado tore through a rural area near a trailer park Saturday night, the state's governor, Greg Abbott, said Sunday. Among the dead were two children, ages two and five. Three members of a family died in a house, the county police chief said.
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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced that he had declared a state of emergency Monday morning in a post on social media site X following “multiple reports of tornadoes and wind damage.”
Seven deaths were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado tore through a rural area near a trailer park Saturday night, the state's governor, Greg Abbott, said Sunday. Among the dead were two children, ages two and five. Three members of a family died in a house, the county police chief said.
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Eight people died in Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed at a news conference Sunday night. An emergency official said two deaths were due to the circumstances of the storm, although they were not a direct result of the weather, as one person had a heart attack and another was left without oxygen due to a power outage.
The storms also killed two people and destroyed homes in Oklahoma, where the injuries included guests at an outdoor wedding, as well as eight people in Arkansas and another in Kentucky. Thousands of residents were left without power across the region.
The storms also killed two people and destroyed homes in Oklahoma, where the injuries included guests at an outdoor wedding, as well as eight people in Arkansas and another in Kentucky. Thousands of residents were left without power across the region.
In Texas, about 100 people were injured and more than 200 homes and structures were destroyed, Abbott said at a vandalized truck stop next to the small farming town of Valley View.
“The dreams and hopes of Texas families and small businesses have been literally crushed by storm after storm,” said Abbott, whose state has seen several rounds of extreme weather, including storms that killed eight people in Houston this month.
Abbot on Sunday signed an expanded disaster declaration to include Denton, Montague, Cooke and Collin on a list of counties that were already under a previous disaster declaration for storms and flooding in late April.
Hugo Parra, a resident of Farmers Branch, north of Dallas, said he rode out the storm with 40 to 50 people in the bathroom of a truck stop near Valley View. The storm collapsed the roof and walls of the building, twisting metal beams and leaving destroyed cars in the parking lot.
Several people were taken to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter in Denton County, Texas, also north of Dallas.
In Oklahoma, two people died in Mayes County, east of Tulsa, according to authorities.
A man was killed Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky, when a tree fell on him, police said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg confirmed on social media that the death was related to the storm.
“The dreams and hopes of Texas families and small businesses have been literally crushed by storm after storm,” said Abbott, whose state has seen several rounds of extreme weather, including storms that killed eight people in Houston this month.
Abbot on Sunday signed an expanded disaster declaration to include Denton, Montague, Cooke and Collin on a list of counties that were already under a previous disaster declaration for storms and flooding in late April.
Hugo Parra, a resident of Farmers Branch, north of Dallas, said he rode out the storm with 40 to 50 people in the bathroom of a truck stop near Valley View. The storm collapsed the roof and walls of the building, twisting metal beams and leaving destroyed cars in the parking lot.
Several people were taken to hospitals by ambulance and helicopter in Denton County, Texas, also north of Dallas.
In Oklahoma, two people died in Mayes County, east of Tulsa, according to authorities.
A man was killed Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky, when a tree fell on him, police said. Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg confirmed on social media that the death was related to the storm.