This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jan/11/us-severe-storm-three-killed-mississippi-tornado

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Severe storm sweeps south-east US, killing at least seven Severe storm sweeps south-east US, killing at least seven
(about 1 hour later)
Three dead in Alabama, three in Lousiana and one in Texas as Gulf coast states report widespread power outagesThree dead in Alabama, three in Lousiana and one in Texas as Gulf coast states report widespread power outages
The National Weather Service (NWS) has reported three storm-related deaths in Alabama, bringing to seven the number of people confirmed killed following severe storms across the US Gulf coast and south-east. The National Weather Service (NWS) reported three storm-related deaths in Alabama on Saturday, bringing to seven the number of people confirmed killed following severe storms across the US Gulf coast and south-east.
The NWS in Birmingham said via Twitter the three deaths in Alabama occurred in Pickens county, and that an “embedded tornado within a long line of intense thunderstorms” was the cause of the deaths. The NWS in Birmingham said the deaths in Alabama occurred in Pickens county, where an “embedded tornado within a long line of intense thunderstorms” hit.
Three people died in Louisiana and one fatality was reported in Texas, after the storms erupted on Friday.Three people died in Louisiana and one fatality was reported in Texas, after the storms erupted on Friday.
In Louisiana, the Bossier parish sheriff’s office said the bodies of an elderly couple were found near their demolished trailer. In Caddo parish, a man was killed when a tree fell on his home. A search for more possible victims was under way. In Louisiana, the Bossier parish sheriff’s office said an elderly couple were found dead near their demolished trailer. The winds were so strong, the home had been moved 200ft from its foundations.
The NWS issued a tornado warning for Mississippi early on Saturday. Homes were damaged or destroyed in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas on Friday but no injuries were reported. Downed trees and power lines were widespread. In Oil City, the Caddo parish coroner’s office said, Raymond Holden was in bed when a tree fell on his home, crushing him.
According to PowerOutage.us, Louisiana and Mississippi had more than 50,000 outages each. Tennessee, Texas and Arkansas all reported outages exceeding 26,000. The NWS in Shreveport estimated that a tornado, with about around 135mph winds, touched down in Bossier parish.
The national Storm Prediction Center said more than 18 million people in Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma were at an enhanced risk of storms, including from strong tornadoes, flooding rains and wind gusts that could exceed 80mph, the speed of a category one hurricane. Sheriff Julian Whittington said a truck driver and a Benton police officer had a close call after being shocked by a downed power line.
The NWS said parts of Texas would be pelted with rain and snow. The storms unleashed downpours that caused widespread flash flooding. Dallas police said one person died when a car flipped into Five Mile Creek west of downtown Dallas at 7pm on Friday. “A power line was hanging across the road and an 18-wheeler truck ran into it and got hung up in it and the Benton officer got there to help him,” Whittington said. Both were expected to survive.
Ahead of the storms, the Dallas Office of Emergency Management asked residents to bring in pets, outdoor furniture, grills, “and anything else that could be caught up in high winds to reduce the risk of flying debris”. A search for more possible victims was under way.
On Alabama’s Gulf coast, the NWS warned of flooding and the potential for 10ft waves on beaches, where northern visitors escaping the cold are a common sight. On Saturday morning Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas were clear of the severe thunderstorms that had passed through the night before. One person died on Friday night when a car flipped into a creek in Dallas. Lightning from Friday’s storms was suspected of causing two house fires in the north Texas cities of Burleson and Mansfield. Officials said no one was injured.
Many streams were at or near flood levels because of earlier storms and heavy rains could lead to flash flooding across the region, forecasters said. Parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana were under flash flood warnings or watches. Homes were damaged or destroyed in Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas but no injuries were reported. Downed trees and power lines were widespread.
More than 85,000 people without power in Alabama, according to Alabama Power. According to PowerOutage.us, Mississippi had more than 61,0000 outages at midday on Saturday. About 35,000 were without power in Louisiana. Outages were reported from Texas to Michigan.
In Tennessee, Memphis Light, Gas and Water said about 23,000 customers were without power on Saturday morning. Damage was widespread throughout Shelby county, Tennessee’s most populous county that includes Memphis.
Entergy Arkansas reported nearly 42,000 outages on Saturday morning, mostly in the south-east of the state. Southwestern Electric Power reported nearly 5,000 customers in east Texas were without power.
The Oklahoma department of transportation reported that portions of several highways in the south-eastern part of the state were closed due to flooding. The Arkansas department of transportation reported that portions of several state highways, particularly in the south-east, were closed due to downed trees and power lines and to flooding.
On Alabama’s Gulf coast, the NWS warned of high winds and flooding and the potential for 10ft waves on beaches, where northern visitors escaping the cold are a common sight during the winter.
Parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana were under flash flood warnings or watches on Saturday.
The threat of ice and snow in the Chicago area prompted the cancellation of about 1,000 flights on Saturday at the two main airports serving the Windy City. About 950 cancellations were reported at O’Hare International and more than 50 flights had been canceled at Midway International. Delays at O’Hare and Midway were averaging around 15 minutes, the department said.
The NWS issued a winter weather advisory, flood watch and lakeshore flood warning for the Chicago metropolitan area for Saturday and a winter storm warning for adjacent areas of north-western Illinois.