A series of strong storms swept across the central and southern U.S. during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, causing widespread destruction. At least 22 people lost their lives, and many homes, businesses, and power lines were severely damaged.
The storms led to fatalities in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kentucky, coinciding with record-breaking heat from south Texas to Florida. Meteorologists warned that the severe weather might move towards the East Coast, prompting millions of holiday-goers to stay vigilant outdoors. A tornado watch was issued from North Carolina to Maryland.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, who declared a state of emergency earlier, reported five deaths in his state. One of the fatalities was a 54-year-old man who suffered a heart attack while clearing fallen trees in western Kentucky’s Caldwell County.
Man looks at a damaged car after the tornado (Via Austin Black/Shutterstock)
Among the fatalities were seven individuals in Cooke County, Texas, where a tornado struck a mobile home park on Saturday, and eight deaths across Arkansas. In Mayes County, Oklahoma, east of Tulsa, two people died, including guests at an outdoor wedding.
In Kentucky, the town of Charleston was severely impacted as a tornado reportedly stayed on the ground for 40 miles on Sunday night. Rob Linton, a resident and fire chief of nearby Dawson Springs, described extensive damage with fallen trees, displaced houses, and disrupted utilities.
Further east, rural areas of Hopkins County near Barnsley, previously hit by a tornado in 2021, also sustained damage during Sunday night’s storms, according to county Emergency Management Director Nick Bailey.
