Two individuals lost their lives due to falling trees, and tens of thousands faced power outages as intense storms swept across the southern United States last weekend. These storms caused significant damage by toppling trees and power lines, accompanied by substantial rainfall, hail, and strong winds throughout the region. As reported by poweroutage.us, nearly 150,000 residents from Texas to South Carolina experienced power disruptions on Sunday morning.
In Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves confirmed a fatal incident in Lafayette County, where a tree collapsed onto a vehicle, causing the death of a person. The area saw multiple tornado warnings on Saturday afternoon. Similarly, in Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp reported another casualty Saturday night, occurring when a tree fell on a car in Banks County, as confirmed by a representative of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.
Governor Kemp expressed his condolences on social media, urging people to join in prayer for those affected by the tragic loss. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service reported a confirmed EF-1 tornado in Van Buren, Arkansas, on Friday, which resulted in property damage and at least one injury.
The forecast indicates another series of severe weather events anticipated to affect the southern Plains and South as Sunday evening transitions into Monday. The areas at highest risk are expected to be southwest Oklahoma and northern Texas, where there could be destructive wind gusts reaching 100 miles per hour, hailstones up to five inches in diameter, and potential tornadoes, as per the National Weather Service.