10 killed as tornado tears through 3 American states
A severe storm bringing flash flooding and tornadoes killed 10 people and injured dozens, leaving a trail of destruction across Arkansas, Missouri and Texas, officials said.
The line of storms in Texas that spawned tornadoes were among several in parts of the South and Midwest that brought strong winds, thunderstorms and torrential rain in the three American states over the weekend.
In Arkansas, a 65-year-old woman was killed when a tree was blown into her home in De Witt while the woman was lying on her couch when the tree collapsed into her home, according to reports.
In Missouri, a 72-year-old woman drowned in spite of her husband’s efforts to save her as their vehicle was swept away by rushing waters after heavy rains caused flooding.
In Texas, search teams went from door to doorb on Sunday, a day after storms cut a 35 miles long and 15 miles wide path in Van Zandt County, Canton Mayor, Lou Ann Everett, said.
The largely rural area is about 50 miles east of Dallas.
“It is heartbreaking and upsetting to say the least,” Everett said at news conference on Sunday.
The mayor said storms flipped pickup trucks at a Dodge dealership in Canton and tore through the business.
Everett said authorities had confirmed four deaths in the area, down from the five deaths reported earlier, but cautioned that “it is a very fluid situation and that could change”.
Searchers were using dogs to determine whether “anyone is trapped and needs help, or worse,” she said.
NAN
