Dyersburg (US): At least 16 people have died as powerful storms and flash floods swept across the US South and Midwest by early Sunday, with further severe weather warnings in place. The affected areas, already waterlogged by days of downpours and tornadoes, remain at risk of prolonged flooding. Tornado and flood warnings were issued overnight in Alabama, Mississippi and parts of Kentucky and Tennessee. The National Weather Service warned that dozens of locations could reach “major flood stage”, threatening critical infrastructure.
Tennessee accounted for 10 of the reported deaths. Other fatalities included a 57-year-old man in Missouri, a 9-year-old boy and a 74-year-old woman in Kentucky, and a 5-year-old child in Arkansas.
Earlier tornadoes had destroyed neighbourhoods and were linked to seven deaths. Thousands of flights were cancelled or delayed over the weekend, and rail services were affected. A bridge collapse in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, caused a freight train derailment.
Major waterways are swelling. Louisville’s mayor warned the Ohio River had risen 5 feet in 24 hours and expected it to become one of the city’s worst flooding events. Falmouth, Kentucky, was ordered to evacuate due to the rising Licking River, echoing devastating floods nearly 30 years ago.
Since Wednesday, parts of Kentucky have seen over 30 cm of rain, with more than 20 cm falling in Arkansas and Missouri. The extreme weather stems from warm air, unstable conditions and moisture drawn from the Gulf of Mexico.
With National Weather Service offices understaffed, the response is under strain. In Tennessee, storm shelters filled with residents seeking safety, including George Manns, 77, who said, “I don’t leave my essentials in the apartment. If it’s destroyed, I need them with me.”