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Violent storms have battered the central-eastern United States, leaving at least 16 people dead, officials confirmed. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued warnings of “severe” flash flooding in the coming days, as the storms continue to pose serious threats to life and property.
A powerful line of storms, stretching from Arkansas to Ohio, has swept through the region in recent days. These storms have damaged homes, flooded roads, knocked out power, and triggered dozens of tornadoes.
The worst impact was felt in Tennessee, where 10 people have died in the western part of the state. Authorities there are still assessing the full extent of the damage.
In Kentucky, two people were killed due to flooding. One of the victims was a child who was swept away by floodwaters, according to Governor Andy Beshear. He described the flooding as record-breaking in some communities and urged residents to stay off the roads.
“Flooding has reached record levels in many communities,” Beshear wrote on social media.
“Avoid travel, and never drive through water.”
Other states also reported storm-related fatalities. Missouri recorded two deaths, while Indiana reported one. In Little Rock, Arkansas, a five-year-old child was found dead in a home affected by the storm.
Images and videos circulating on social media showed the storm’s devastating effects. Entire neighborhoods were left in ruins, with homes destroyed, trees uprooted, power lines downed, and vehicles overturned.
The NWS has issued a serious warning, stating:
“Severe, widespread flash flooding is expected.”
“Lives and property are in great danger.”
As of early Sunday, more than 100,000 customers were without power across Arkansas and Tennessee, according to PowerOutage.us, a website that tracks outages across the U.S.
Looking ahead, the weather remains dangerous. The NWS said that tornadoes and severe thunderstorms could form again on Sunday, particularly in parts of the Tennessee Valley and the Lower Mississippi Valley.
Scientists continue to emphasize the link between extreme weather and climate change. Rising global temperatures are making storms more frequent and intense, disrupting weather patterns and increasing the risks of natural disasters.
The United States experienced record-high temperatures last year, along with a significant rise in tornadoes and hurricanes—a trend that experts say is likely to continue if global warming goes unchecked.
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