5/26/24

By Aditi Jha

On Sunday, storms in Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Arkansas killed at least 18 people, knocked out the power of hundreds of thousands of homes, delayed the Indianapolis 500, delayed the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals home games, and destroyed infrastructure. Seven people in Cooke County, Texas, were killed by a tornado Saturday night. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that around a hundred people were injured and over two hundred homes were damaged or destroyed entirely. "As further assessments are made, those numbers may increase," said Abbott at a news conference. "The State of Texas will remain engaged and involved with impacted communities to ensure they can rebuild and recover." Eight people died in Arkansas and two in Oklahoma, while heat records were broken in the South and warnings were sent out about triple-digit temperatures. In some parts of Texas, the heat index forecasted 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It has been a record tornado season, with April reaching the second highest number of tornados and recent storms in Houston killing at least 8 and in Iowa injuring 35 and killing 5. Now, over seven million Americans are on a tornado watch. "Jill and I are praying for those who tragically lost their lives as a result of devastating tornadoes that tore through Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, leveling entire communities and leaving a path of destruction in their wake," President Joe Biden said in a statement. He also promised to send federal disaster relief aid to the region. "This comes as communities across the Midwest and South are still reeling from deadly storms and severe weather," he added. A National Weather Service official said that the Texas tornado had top winds of 135 miles per hour. Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington warned against coming back to the evacuated areas. "I know some people were out of the area and trying to get back, but it's dangerous out there," he said. "Power lines are down. There's been reports of gas leaks. ... We're trying to still rescue people. The best thing people can do right now is give us a little time." 

That's the news for today! Stay safe!