A severe tornado outbreak that began on Wednesday has continued to make its way throughout the South and Midwest, claiming at least seven lives — five in Tennessee, one in Indiana and one in Missouri. Multiple destructive tornadoes (some potentially rated EF3 or stronger) destroyed homes and knocked out power, with dozens of injuries reported.
NBC News reported that there were widespread reports of destroyed buildings, toppled vehicles and downed trees, and more than 247,000 energy customers across the U.S. are without power. Severe weather including tornadoes and large hail is expected throughout the Ozarks, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.
As of Thursday, potentially catastrophic flooding was the latest warning from forecasters, with heavy rain thought to make travel impossible in some already hard-hit areas. The National Weather Service warned that “life-threatening, catastrophic and potentially historic” flash flooding could occur across the lower Ohio Valley and mid-South; with forecasters warning that communities in areas affected by flooding “should prepare for possible long duration and severe disruptions to daily life,” with 10 to 15 inches of rain expected through the weekend.
More than 90 million people were at some risk of severe weather in a huge part of the nation stretching from Texas to Minnesota and Maine, according to the Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center. The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management reported that there was damage in 22 counties due to tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding. Additional rounds of heavy rain were expected in parts of Texas, the lower Mississippi Valley and the Ohio Valley from midweek through Saturday. Forecasters warned that they could track over the same areas repeatedly, producing dangerous flash floods.
Head to The Weather Channel for their most detailed forecast.
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