Tornadoes, wildfires, and dust storms leave a deadly trail across the US, killing 40 and displacing thousands
At least 40 people have died as a wave of extreme weather wreaks havoc across the United States. Tornadoes, wildfires, and dust storms have left entire towns in ruins, with officials calling the devastation “staggering.”
Missouri has suffered the worst, with at least 12 people killed as twisters tore through neighbourhoods, flattening homes and businesses. In Texas and Kansas, fierce winds whipped up dust storms, causing deadly highway pile-ups. Oklahoma has been ravaged by nearly 150 wildfires, consuming thousands of acres and leaving at least four people dead. Fatalities have also been reported in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi.
A Disaster of Unimaginable Scale
The storms have impacted millions, with states of emergency declared in Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma. Over 320,000 homes were left without power as the chaos unfolded. Flood warnings have been issued across Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, adding to the misery.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe described the destruction as “staggering,” with entire streets reduced to rubble. One tornado-hit house in Butler County was left so mangled that a coroner said it was simply “a debris field.”
In Oklahoma, wildfires driven by hurricane-force winds tore through towns, forcing residents to flee. The flames, fuelled by gusts reaching 83mph (133km/h), destroyed nearly 300 structures, including a farmhouse belonging to Governor Kevin Stitt.
Deadly Roads and Raging Winds
The extreme weather has turned highways into death traps. In Kansas, a dust storm led to a catastrophic 55-vehicle crash, killing at least eight people. In Texas, another dust-fuelled pile-up involving 38 cars left four more dead.
Tornadoes have added to the horror in Mississippi and Alabama. Mississippi has reported six deaths, while Alabama confirmed three, including an 82-year-old woman. Arkansas has counted three fatalities and nearly 30 injuries.
National Guard Deployed
President Donald Trump announced that the National Guard had been sent to Arkansas to assist in rescue and recovery efforts. “Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!” he posted on his Truth Social platform.
Meanwhile, rescue workers continue to search for survivors amid the wreckage. Entire communities, such as Mannford, Oklahoma, have been wiped out. Residents there were forced to evacuate as fires engulfed their homes.
Authorities are urging anyone with information or affected by the disaster to reach out as the clean-up operation begins. But for many, the reality is bleak—homes, businesses, and lives have been lost in one of the deadliest weather events in recent US history.
