Status: 05.04.2023 5:48 p.m
Storms have swept across several US states, causing massive destruction in some cases. A tornado left Missouri dead and injured. Authorities fear more storms.
After a series of violent storms that killed at least 26 people, severe storms once again swept across several states in the United States. The US weather service warned of strong gusts of wind and hailstones with a diameter of up to five centimeters.
Dead and injured in Missouri
A tornado caused widespread destruction in Missouri. According to authorities, several people were killed or injured. The tornado passed through a rural area in Bollinger County early in the morning, said Clark Parrott of the Interstate Police. Numerous rescue workers are on duty. They would have to use chainsaws to clear trees and shrubs and reach homes.
Homes in Illinois were destroyed by the storm
Image: Amber Real via REUTERS
In Fulton County, Illinois, a tornado damaged buildings and power poles, the local civil protection agency said on Facebook. Several people were injured, and nothing was initially known about the dead. The local sheriff’s office reported gas leaks and debris lying around on Facebook. Thousands of people were temporarily without power, according to the website “poweroutage.us”.
More severe storms predicted
The storms are threatening a region already hit by severe storms over the weekend. According to the Storm Prediction Center, up to 40 million people will be affected in the area between Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Memphis.
At least 26 people died and dozens were injured as a result of violent hurricanes in several US states over the weekend. Media spoke of a rare “monster storm system” that stretched from the southern United States to the Great Lakes region in the north. Experts also attribute the increase in natural disasters in the USA to the consequences of climate change.