A powerful tornado tore through the U.S. on March 16th, leaving nothing but devastation, and claiming the lives of 42 people. This storm produced violent tornadoes, raging wildfires, and blinding dust storms, which struck areas across the midwest and south, with Missouri, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
Missouri suffered the highest death toll, with at least 13 fatalities reported from the tornadoes that ripped through their community, flattening homes and toppling power lines. Mississippi also had significant destruction, with six deaths and hundreds of homes destroyed. “I was holding my wife to my chest and just watched everything disappear and watching everything get ripped out away from me,” said William Shultz, of Tylertown, Mississippi, from NBC News. In Alabama and Arkansas, three people were killed in each state due to severe weather conditions.
Tragedy struck in North Carolina when two young boys ages 11 and 13 lost their lives by a tree falling through their mobile home in the town of Breward, Transylvania County. In Oklahoma, wildfires claimed four lives and burned thousands of acres of land, forcing many families to flee their home. Meanwhile, Kansas and Texas experienced deadly dust storms, which reduced visibility and caused major traffic accidents, leading to 11 fatalities.
Meteorologists said that the storm is a high risk system, warning of its potential destruction. Mississippi experienced some of the most tornadoes with homes shredded and debris scattered for miles. The National Weather services confirm that the winds exceeded 165 mph.
In Oklahoma and Texas, wildfires spread rapidly due to the dry conditions and dusty winds. The fires destroyed homes, businesses, and farmland, with emergency crews struggling to contain the fast moving flames. There were 130 fires reported in 44 countries across Oklahoma that killed four people, destroyed more than 400 homes and burned a total of 170,000 acres. The devastation prompted a large scale of emergency responders and the National Guard has been deployed to assist with recovery efforts. Experts say that extreme weather events like this may become more frequent overtime due to climate change.
As communities begin the difficult task of rebuilding, meteorologists are already tracking another potential storm system that could bring more hazardous weather to the plains in the upcoming day. Ultimately, authorities urge residents to stay alert and prepared for future storms, as cleanup efforts continue across the devastated regions.
