Violent tornadoes in the United States: at least seventeen people have lost their lives

A series of devastating storms swept across the central and southern United States, causing at least 17 deaths. Tennessee is particularly hard hit, with 10 deaths, while flood warnings remain in force in several states.

At least 17 people have died in the violent storms and tornadoes that have swept across the central and southern United States since Wednesday, according to cumulative totals from local authorities on Sunday. Flood warnings remain in effect, notably in Kentucky (east-central), Tennessee, and Alabama (southern), the US Weather Service reported Saturday evening.

Tennessee was the hardest hit, with 10 deaths recorded in the western part of the state. Kentucky and Missouri each suffered two fatalities, while Arkansas, Indiana and Mississippi each had one, and the death toll could rise further.

Several states from Arkansas (south) to Ohio (north) have been hit since Wednesday by an episode of violent winds, sometimes accompanied by tornadoes and intense rain. Schools have closed in several states affected by the storms, including Nashville, the capital of Tennessee.

Images posted on social networks showed damaged buildings, uprooted trees and overturned cars in several states. Some 110,000 customers were without power on Sunday in five of these states, according to the specialist website poweroutage.us.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded nearly 1,800 tornadoes nationwide in 2024, the highest number since 2004. They caused the death of 54 people.

 

There is no scientific consensus on the impact of global warming on tornadoes, a local weather phenomenon that is difficult to study. Generally speaking, scientists still lack knowledge of highly localized phenomena such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning, hail or sandstorms.