Tornadoes claims lives of at least 32 Americans in southern US
4 Min Read
The violent storms have wreaked havoc through several US states, causing significant human casualties as well as extensive damage to property and homes.
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Tim Scott, right, gets a hug from friend Jorden Harris outside Scott's home he was inside when it was destroyed during a severe storm, Wayne County, Mo, Saturday, March 15, 2025 (AP)
Extreme tornadoes are leaving a trail of destruction as they pass through several states in the US on Sunday, after severe weather conditions were expected on Saturday.
At least 32 people were killed in the storm. In Kansas, a dust storm caused 55 vehicle collisions on I-70, killing eight people. In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves announced six deaths, three missing persons, and 29 injuries.
A storm struck several U.S states, including Texas, destroying homes, cutting power to thousands, and causing fatalities due to traffic accidents. pic.twitter.com/6NQOUziTMZ
— Beirut Wire (@beirutwire) March 15, 2025
The state of Missouri witnessed the highest number of fatalities so far, with several twisters killing at least 12 people, including a man who was killed after one of the whirlwinds tore apart his home, with a Coroner describing the scene as “It was unrecognizable as a home. Just a debris field,” adding that “The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls,” according to The Guardian.
Three deaths caused by the storms have been confirmed in Independence County, Arkansas, in addition to 29 injuries in eight different counties, while a dust storm led to the death of three people in car collisions after a dust storm blew over Amarillo county in the Texas panhandle.
A potentially historic tornado outbreak is unfolding across Mississippi and Alabama, with multiple strong-to-violent tornadoes already observed in the past few hours.
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) March 15, 2025
The dangerous tornado threat will persist well after dark as storms move eastward into Alabama. pic.twitter.com/rJGvKEEYxY
The governor of the state of Mississippi, Tate Reeves, announced on Saturday that at least three people were wounded and hospitalized in Grenada County, which was hit the hardest by the storms. The toll is expected to increase, while six other counties—Calhoun, Carroll, Grenada, Humphreys, Leflore, and Montgomery—reported damage.
David Roth, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center, told The Guardian that a low-pressure system triggered intense thunderstorms late Friday night and into early Saturday across regions of Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri. At least 26 tornadoes were reported, though their touchdowns have yet to be confirmed.
We need to pray…
— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) March 15, 2025
A massive tornado is tearing through Tylertown, MS.
pic.twitter.com/h00CjcbkDa
“Today there is a high risk for more tornadoes across Alabama and Mississippi, the chance is 30%,” he noted, describing this as “pretty significant," meanwhile, forecasters said that the highest possible risk for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms was on Saturday night and that the severe storm threat will continue into the weekend.
Early on Saturday morning, the National Weather Service released multiple warnings for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms across regions of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, and Texas.
The weather service reported at least five tornadoes in Missouri on Friday, damaging several buildings, while it pointed out that "potentially violent" tornadoes were expected on Saturday in several parts of the central Gulf coast and the Tenessee Valley.
Villa Ridge, Missouri, a tornado caused significant damage, with a loud roar and numerous power flashes. Several semi-trucks were flipped, and various structures were damaged. #MOwx pic.twitter.com/lwt4JzsXcm
— Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers (@ChicagoMWeather) March 15, 2025
The Storm Prediction Center warned of high risk in parts of Mississippi, including Jackson and Hattiesburg, and in Alabama, including Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. Severe storms and potential tornadoes were also expected in eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee, and the western Florida Panhandle.
Amid warm, dry conditions and strong winds, wildfires in the southern plains posed a rapid spread threat, prompting evacuation orders on Friday for certain communities across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and New Mexico, with the Texas A&M University Forest Service reported on X that a fire in Roberts County, Texas, northeast of Amarillo, rapidly expanded from under a square mile (about 2 sq km) to an estimated 32.8 square miles (85 sq km).
According to the website poweroutage.us, strong winds caused power outages for over 300,000 homes and businesses across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. In parallel, the National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for western Minnesota and western South Dakota.
