Devastating Tornadoes Sweep Through U.S. Midwest and Southeast, Claiming 33 Lives

Tornadoes wreaked havoc across the U.S. Midwest and Southeast, resulting in at least 33 deaths and widespread destruction. Missouri and Mississippi were among the hardest hit. Emergency management officials detailed significant damage, with hundreds of homes destroyed and numerous injuries reported across several states.

Tornadoes unleashed destruction across the U.S. Midwest and Southeast, killing at least 33 people, according to a CNN report. Missouri alone reported 12 fatalities across five counties, as shared by the state's highway patrol on X.

Robbie Myers, Butler County's emergency management director, highlighted the destruction of over 500 homes, a church, and a grocery store. In a mobile home park, the devastation was total. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed six deaths in the state: one in Covington County, two in Jeff Davis County, and three in Walthall County. Preliminary figures indicate 29 people injured and damage in 21 counties statewide, Reeves added.

In Arkansas, three fatalities were reported along with 32 injuries, said the state's Department of Emergency Management. Meteorologist David Roth noted that 26 tornadoes were reported—though not all confirmed—late Friday into early Saturday, driven by a low-pressure system generating powerful storms over Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri.

(With inputs from agencies.)