At the very least 21 individuals reportedly killed after storms hit US south and midwest

At the very least 21 persons are reported to have died after a sequence of lethal storms throughout the southern and midwest US, with extreme rains, flooding rivers and tornadoes resulting in a number of evacuations within the area.

Some cities ordered individuals to depart their properties as floodwaters rose. And rescue crews have been noticed utilizing inflatable boats to test on residents in Kentucky and Tennessee.

The Tennessee well being division has confirmed 10 deaths within the state regarding the extreme climate, together with tornadoes and flooding. Although extreme climate was diminishing in some areas, floodwater and particles hazards stay.

Alabama and Mississippi grappled with new twister warnings issued on Sunday whereas flash flood warnings had been in impact for a number of counties throughout Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee, in accordance with AccuWeather. Energy and fuel had been lower off in areas stretching from Texas to Ohio.

“River flooding will likely be a priority throughout center Tennessee via mid-week as nicely,” the Nationwide Climate Service in Nashville warned in a social media publish on Monday. The publish invoked the “Flip Round Don’t Drown!” slogan to warn motorists towards making an attempt to drive via floodwaters.

By Sunday, greater than 90 tornadoes had been reported in no less than 10 states, together with Kansas, Alabama and Georgia, ABC Information reported.

A nine-year-old boy was one of many reported deaths in Kentucky. He was strolling to catch his faculty bus when he was caught in floodwaters.

“My coronary heart breaks for this household,” the Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear, mentioned in a Fb publish. “We’d like everybody to grasp that every one water poses a threat proper now. Let’s do every thing attainable to maintain our family members protected.”

Police say a five-year-old boy died after a tree fell on his household’s dwelling in Arkansas. In Missouri, a 16-year-old volunteer firefighter died in a crash whereas making an attempt to rescue individuals caught within the storm.

The Nelson county sheriff’s workplace in Kentucky wrote in a Fb publish that on Saturday a 74-old-person was discovered lifeless after having been trapped in a automotive totally submerged by floodwater.

“Please don’t attempt to cross flooded roadways,” the publish mentioned. “The tip consequence doesn’t outweigh the danger.”

Some areas may stay underwater via the approaching days as a consequence of further rounds of rain within the forecast. Runoff from the intense rainfall will most likely lead to reasonable to main flooding within the subsequent few weeks in rivers throughout the area.

The storms in query arrived as the continuing, world local weather disaster – pushed largely by the burning of fossil fuels – inflicted heavier rainfall and associated flood dangers to most components of the US. The higher midwest and Ohio River valley had been predicted to be among the many areas most affected, in accordance with Local weather Central, an unbiased non-profit that researches climate patterns.