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Tornado and severe storms claim at least eleven lives in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas

Theo

Top line

A tornado in Texas destroyed a rural mobile home park and left seven people dead. At least four more people were killed in Arkansas and Oklahoma when storms swept through the region on Saturday night, destroying homes and leaving tens of thousands of people without power.

Key data

At least seven people were killed on Saturday night in severe storms in the Texas counties of Cooke and Denton – the region stretching from Dallas to southern Oklahoma – including two children, the local NBC affiliate reported.

Five of those deaths occurred at the RV and trailer park next to Ray Roberts Marina in Valley View, where residents told CBS the “incredible” destruction caused by the tornado, which left behind half a mile of debris and left residents desperately searching for a safe place to hide.

Another 20 people in Texas were injured when the storm hit the trailer park, a nearby residential area and a crowded highway rest area, the Cooke County sheriff told NBC, adding that the number of dead and injured is expected to rise.

Four people were also killed in storms in Arkansas and Oklahoma, two in each state, the Associated Press reported.

Important background

There were more than 300 tornadoes in the U.S. in April, the second-highest number for an April ever, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. Tornadoes were reported on 18 days of the month, and at least six people were killed in Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa. Last week, hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged, four people were killed and dozens were injured in Greenfield, Iowa, when a tornado struck with winds between 175 and 180 mph (280 to 290 kph), the AP reported.

tangent

Experts warn that climate change could affect when and where tornadoes strike across the country, but the exact connection between the warming planet and the weather phenomena is unknown. Despite this uncertainty, some researchers have found that tornadoes are shifting eastward from the places where they historically occurred most frequently and are becoming more common during the colder months, NPR reported.

Big number

1,200. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, that’s about how many tornadoes occur in the United States each year.

Further information

AP NewsAt least 7 dead in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas after storms in the regionWashingtonPostThere were 300 tornadoes in the USA in April, the second highest number since weather records began
ForbesMemorial Day weekend brings severe storms, tornado threat, scorching heat and hurricane-force winds – what to expect in your areaFrom Brian BushardForbesExperts say weather extremes are already threatening and will likely be even worse in 2025From Simon Constable

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