Oklahoma Storms Claim Three Lives
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Severe storms in Oklahoma lead to the tragic deaths of three individuals, including a mother and her son, as flooding and tornadoes wreak havoc across the region. Many structures were destroyed, and ongoing severe weather is expected in several states.
Key Takeaways
- Severe storms resulted in three fatalities in Oklahoma.
- A mother and her son were victims of a flood incident.
- A tornado caused additional fatalities in Spaulding.
- Numerous roads and homes were damaged.
- Severe weather alerts were issued across multiple states.
Houston, April 21 (NationPress) Three individuals lost their lives as intense storms struck the central region of the United States, particularly in Oklahoma, over the past weekend, according to officials.
A 12-year-old boy and his mother tragically perished in Moore, located approximately 10 miles (about 16 km) south of Oklahoma City, on Sunday after their vehicle was swept away by floodwaters, stated local law enforcement.
"This was a historic weather event that affected roads and caused numerous high-water incidents throughout the city," Moore police expressed in a statement.
Another fatality occurred on Saturday night when a tornado struck Spaulding, a town in Hughes County, as reported by the county on Facebook, according to Xinhua news agency.
Many homes and structures were devastated, along with countless washouts of county roads, the report indicated.
On April 20, the National Weather Service issued a series of tornado warnings across various states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Louisiana. As per AccuWeather, areas in Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois were at a significant risk for severe thunderstorms.
The Storm Prediction Center cautioned that strong winds, hail, and thunderstorms were likely to continue throughout the night. Severe weather was anticipated to persist in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, moving into the Ozark Mountains and the mid-Mississippi Valley.
By late evening, local media outlets in Arkansas and Montana confirmed at least two tornado touchdowns. In Illinois, the National Weather Service issued warnings for severe storms that could spawn tornadoes.
At around 9 p.m. local time, a tornado was detected east of East Moline, a city in northwestern Illinois, part of the Quad Cities. Fortunately, no injuries or damages were reported at that time.
Looking forward, weather experts predicted ongoing showers and thunderstorms along and ahead of a front extending from the Great Lakes down through the Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys to the Gulf Coast on Monday. Although heavy rainfall could result in flooding, the severe weather threat was expected to lessen throughout the day.
