A series of devastating dust storms and tornadoes swept across the southern United States over the weekend, claiming at least 39 lives and leaving widespread destruction. Sunday marked the third consecutive day of the storm system, which has also produced large hail and severe flooding.
The chain of destruction is believed to have begun at approximately 3:22 p.m. on Friday, when a dust storm associated with the larger weather system created near-zero visibility on I-70 in Sherman County, Kansas.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that more than 50 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup, resulting in at least eight fatalities. Numerous individuals sustained injuries and were transported to medical facilities across the region for treatment.
Additional dust storms on Friday contributed to vehicle accidents in the Texas Panhandle, where at least three people lost their lives.
These storms also intensified wildfires across Texas. The Texas A&M Forest Service responded to 13 separate wildfires, which collectively scorched 27,717 acres throughout the state.
In Oklahoma, the state’s highway patrol released a statement on Saturday indicating that it had assisted the Enid Police Department in responding to a fatal crash caused by the weather conditions. The agency also reported attending to 42 crashes involving injuries and assisting with 36 fires.
Initially, the death toll from the storm system was estimated at 13, with casualties in Missouri and Arkansas as of Saturday afternoon. However, another round of tornadoes struck late Saturday into Sunday. Arkansas emergency management officials later confirmed three fatalities in the state.
The earlier death toll had not accounted for fatalities caused by dust storms and high winds in other regions. The updated count now includes more recent reports from Missouri.
“As of this time, there have been 12 confirmed weather-related fatalities,” the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) announced on social media late Saturday.
The agency continued, “SEMA continues to coordinate with state and local response agencies and our volunteer partners to assist those in need.”
Tornadoes Across Southern United States
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe described the devastation as “heartbreaking” after visiting the worst-affected areas across the state.
In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves confirmed six deaths in a statement released Saturday night. The fatalities included one person in Covington County, two in Jeff Davis County, and three in Walthall County. Additionally, three individuals were reported missing, and 29 others sustained injuries.
Reeves also reported that 21 of Mississippi’s 82 counties had suffered damage from the storm system, and up to 30,000 customers initially lost power.
The storm system has since moved eastward, passing through Alabama and into Georgia, continuing its path of destruction.
“You gotta practice what you preach, and we did just that earlier this evening,” the National Weather Service office in Birmingham stated early Sunday morning.
“Our staff took shelter when a tornado-warned storm was approaching our office. (Our break room is our safe room.) We also took that time to check on coworkers who were in the tornado’s path.”
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey reported that at least three individuals had died in her state—one in Plantersville and another in Winterboro. She further stated that 52 of Alabama’s 67 counties had sustained damage.
“We pray for those lives we lost, as well as those who were injured,” Ivey said. “And we pray for our first responders, emergency management officials, and linemen who are doing incredible work on the ground right now.”
60,000 customers in Missouri remained without electricity, while 17,191 in Alabama and 27,507 in Georgia were also experiencing outages. Other states affected by the storm system also reported power disruptions.
On Sunday evening, former President Donald Trump stated that his administration was “actively monitoring” the situation and had deployed the National Guard to Arkansas.
“My Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage,” he said.
