Severe Weather Threat in the Central Plains and Midwest
Following the destructive tornadoes in Nebraska and Iowa, millions of people in parts of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma are under tornado watches. The National Weather Service reported that the watch area includes the Kansas City metropolitan area and 2.7 million people in southeastern Kansas and western and central Missouri.
Tornado Reports and Emergency Response
As of 5:30 CT, there were nine tornado reports in Kansas and one in Missouri. Oklahoma’s emergency operations center was activated, urging residents to stay weather aware. Multiple tornado warnings were issued in Kansas, Oklahoma, and north Texas as storm cells moved across the region.
Expanding Tornado Watches
A new tornado watch was issued across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, northeast Missouri, and southwest Wisconsin. The severe weather threat is expected to continue through Sunday, with strong tornadoes possible from Nebraska to Texas.
Particularly Dangerous Situation
A rare Particularly Dangerous Situation tornado watch affecting nearly 2 million people was issued, including cities like Enid, Oklahoma, and Wichita Falls, Texas. Such watches are issued when there is high confidence of multiple strong or violent tornadoes.
Flash Flood Warnings
The Weather Prediction Center warned of a rare “high risk for excessive rain and flash flooding” event east of Oklahoma City. Parts of east-central Oklahoma are at risk of major flash flooding due to intense rainfall.
Tornado Damage in Nebraska and Iowa
The area of Elkhorn in Omaha, Nebraska, suffered severe tornado damage, with homes leveled and several families affected. In nearby Iowa, a large tornado caused extensive damage in the city of Minden.
Recovery Efforts and Community Support
Cleanup volunteers and emergency officials are working to assess and address the damage caused by the tornadoes. Residents affected by the storms are receiving medical treatment for storm-related injuries.
Continued Severe Weather Threat
More than 50 million people are under the threat of severe weather from the Southern Plains into the Great Lakes region. The Weather Prediction Center warns of potentially significant severe weather episodes with the possibility of damaging storms and flash flooding.
Read More of this Story at www.cnn.com – 2024-04-27 23:30:00
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