Severe Storms Leave Thousands Without Power and Claim Lives Across the US

Nearly 200,000 people are currently without power across various states in the US following a series of deadly tornadoes and thunderstorms over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. These severe weather events have resulted in at least 23 fatalities, injured hundreds, and caused widespread destruction. The National Weather Service (NWS) continues to issue warnings for strong thunderstorms and potential flash flooding in northern and central Texas, while southern regions of the state and southern Florida are experiencing extreme heat. Despite a slight abatement, near-record temperatures are still expected.
The NWS has also indicated a significant risk of damaging winds and large hail in Texas and southern Oklahoma continuing into Wednesday. Additionally, there’s an anticipation of heavy rains along the East Coast, from New York to Maryland, which could lead to thunderstorms.
Kentucky is severely impacted by power outages, with over 80,000 homes affected. The recent storms have made Sunday the busiest day for severe weather in the US this year, with over 600 reports of storm damage spanning 20 states. This includes structural damages to buildings, overturned vehicles, and downed power lines. The storms also caused the delay of the Indianapolis 500 race due to the evacuation of approximately 125,000 spectators.
Weather-related fatalities have been reported in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Alabama. President Joe Biden has offered federal assistance to the governors of the affected states. Kentucky’s Governor, Andy Bashear, has declared a state of emergency, describing the storms as devastating. In a tragic incident in Colorado, a farmer and 34 of his cows were killed by a lightning strike.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a disaster in over a third of the state’s counties following the extreme weather, with all seven deaths in the state reported in Valley View, Cooke County, after a tornado struck a mobile home park. Among the deceased were two young children and three members of the same family.
This series of tornadoes continues the trend of severe weather events, following a powerful tornado in Iowa earlier in May which claimed four lives. The government forecasters are predicting an “extraordinary” 2024 Atlantic hurricane season starting next month, indicating a potentially challenging summer ahead for disaster preparedness and response.