The central U.S. is going through a period of repeated destruction, as the nation's heartland spent yet another weekend clearing up the damage caused by a late week of tornadic outbreaks that have taken the lives of at least 25 people.
By Sunday morning, the storms had been linked to 25 deaths, according to the NWS SPC. Close to 80 tornadoes were initially spotted, with a considerable number of towns ravaged by the winds. This summary provides an overview of the destruction caused this weekend, broken down by state.
Four people perished in Wynne after a tornado swept through the town, situated 40 miles west of Memphis, on Friday evening. A multitude of people were sent to the hospital due to injuries, and aid teams are still looking through the remains for anyone who may still be alive.
The storm caused major damage to Wynne High School, leaving the state department of education to make alternate plans for students.
In Little Rock, the EF3 tornado caused one fatality and a myriad of destruction such as ripped off roofs and scattered debris. Frank Scott, Jr., the mayor of the state capital, reported that a minimum of two dozen people had to be hospitalized due to the storm's aftermath.
On Friday night, a tornado caused tremendous destruction in Sullivan, Indiana, resulting in three fatalities and considerable damage to numerous residences. Mayor Clint Lamb declared the fatalities and stated that over 200 structures had been affected by the tornado that swept through the small city in southwestern Indiana.
On Saturday morning, Bloomington, a college town, was left in disarray from the storm on Friday, with trees and power lines strewn about.
The tornado outbreak reached Illinois, claiming four lives in Belvidere, Boone County. At the time of the incident, the Apollo Theater was filled with attendees of a sold-out show. 48 individuals were taken to the medical facility, with five of them in critical condition according to Governor Pritzker's statement. Belvidere is located 70 miles northwest of Chicago.
The NWS attested that an initial EF1 was the cause of the theater's destruction and four deaths occurred in both Boone and Crawford County.
Tragically, one individual passed away and an additional four people were hurt after a tornado wreaked havoc on the town of Pontotoc, Mississippi, as reported by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. The tornado stormed through the area on Saturday morning, one week after more than two dozen people had perished in the same area.
Early Saturday morning, a deadly EF3 tornado struck northern Alabama, leaving one woman dead and three people seriously injured. The incident happened in Madison County, close to the Tennessee border. The woman passed away in her home at 4 am and the three injured were taken to Huntsville, Alabama for medical treatment.
Northern Alabama endured an EF3 tornado that then moved into Lincoln County, TN, bringing more destruction. Two homes had walls that crumbled while other buildings were severely damaged while the tornado remained on the ground. Thankfully, no fatalities were reported.
Apart from the tornadoes, Ohio and Iowa also experienced the destructive effects of strong straight-line winds.