A violent tornado outbreak has swept through the South and Midwest, killing at least 29 people and causing extensive damage. The storm system, which has battered Mississippi, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas, is now moving toward the East Coast.
Mississippi has confirmed at least three deaths, with homes destroyed and significant damage reported, according to Royce McKee, the state’s emergency management director. “We have a bunch of houses destroyed,” he told CNN.
Three fatalities. were also confirmed in Walthall County. With a rare level 5 (out of 5) threat for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes in the Deep South, at least 27 tornadoes have been reported since Friday, with more expected over the weekend.
On Saturday evening, a new tornado watch was issued for eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia. On Friday, a severe dust storm caused a multi-vehicle crash in Kansas, killing at least eight people.
The high winds caused near-zero visibility along I-70, resulting in a pile-up involving over 50 vehicles. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly offered her condolences and urged drivers to remain vigilant.
