At least 30 people have died as a result of a severe storm that sparked tornadoes in the Southern and Midwestern parts of the United States, according to authorities and media reports.
According to the Memphis Police Department, two children and an adult were discovered dead on Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee, after the storm’s strong winds toppled trees onto a number of homes.
After announcing seven fatalities earlier on Saturday in McNairy County, Tennessee, authorities announced two more deaths, according to local media.
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, a couple’s remains were discovered at a campground in McCormick’s Creek State Park in Owen County.
Earlier reports of 15 more fatalities related to the storm, which produced tornadoes in various locations, came from Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Delaware, Mississippi, and Alabama. Many structures were damaged or destroyed, and hundreds of people suffered injuries.
On Sunday, American President Joe Biden deemed Arkansas to be in a “major disaster” and ordered federal assistance to aid in the recovery.
In a statement released on Sunday afternoon, the president said that he and Jill Biden were praying for those affected by the storms over the weekend. He also directed the appropriate federal officials to “assist with urgent needs and long-term rebuilding.”
He wrote, “We know families across America are grieving the deaths of loved ones, anxiously awaiting word of others fighting for their lives, & sorting through the ruins of their homes and businesses.”
Similarly severe weather, including thunderstorms, was forecast for Tuesday in much of the Midwest between Chicago and Little Rock, Arkansas, the center said.
