Tornadoes and flash-flooding ripped through the southern United States over the weekend, travelling the Midwest into the north and claiming at least 18 lives as authorities predict more rain for days to come.
Multiple states are preparing for the worst as flash flood warnings continue, and they analyse the damage already done as the storm shifts east into Florida.
The rain has subsided in some areas, yet floodwaters are still rising owing to run-off.
At least 18 people have died in the storms, with 10 in Tennessee alone.
Kentucky experienced record flooding over the weekend, with over 500 roads closed owing to flooding and waters still rising. A 9-year-old boy was swept away by floods while walking to his school bus stop in Frankfort, Ky., on April 4.
The deadly spring storm, which started in the southern United States on March 29, gave rise to tornadoes and thunderstorms, moving from Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri in the mid-south and Southern Plains, expanding east and north into the Midwest over April 3.
It then stalled over the Mississippi and Ohio valleys, in what is known as a “training” effect, in which repeated rounds of thunderstorms covered the same area, leading to 15 inches of rain in some areas, before moving north to Michigan.
Governors of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas declared states of emergency as response teams were deployed to help with evacuations and rescue.
A building was spotted floating down the Kentucky River on April 5, as rivers and creeks reached their breaking point across the south, some reaching a record-breaking 49.5 feet.
The Ohio River rose five feet in 24 hours and will continue to swell for the coming days, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said on April 5.
“We expect this to be one of the top 10 flooding events in Louisville history,” he said.
Amarillo in Texas received five inches of snow on April 6, breaking a 130-year record for weather in April, while other parts reached 6.5 inches in 24 hours with the temperature dropping to minus 6 degrees C, well below the 20 degrees C average for this time of year.
Mobile homes were reportedly flipped upside down, and a radar in Blytheville, Arkansas, showed debris being hurled 25,000 feet into the air.
At one point, at least 33 million people were under flood watches across 11 states. The Storm Prediction Center has identified at least three EF3 tornadoes over the past 10 days, which are considered severe on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with EF4–5 being the strongest.
Tornado activity is typical for this time of year, with April and June historically being the most active, although they can occur at any time.
Between 2003 and 2022, the United States averaged 1,248 per year according to the Storm Prediction Center, with 54 percent occurring during spring. Texas has recorded the highest annual average of 124.
Although spring storms are common this time of year in the south, the intensity and length of time, coupled with historical widespread flooding, mark the significance of this storm.
