By Chase Smith
Contributing Writer
Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms tore through the southern United States from Wednesday into the early hours of Thursday, killing at least six people — including multiple fatalities in Tennessee — as the National Weather Service warned of “life-threatening” flash flooding and more destructive storms continuing into the weekend.
The storm system responsible has stalled over the lower Mississippi and Ohio valleys, leading to repeated rounds of thunderstorms. This “training” effect — when storms repeatedly move over the same areas — could bring up to 15 inches of rainfall in some areas, particularly in West Tennessee and parts of Kentucky.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency confirmed weather-related fatalities in McNairy and Obion counties. Emergency officials in Fayette County said that a man and his daughter were killed after a mobile home flipped upside down.
A third fatality in the state was reported in Fayette County, according to local emergency officials. In a social media post, county officials said a modular home was flipped upside down — with one person pronounced dead at the scene and several others taken to hospitals, including two in critical condition.
In southeast Missouri, one person was killed on Wednesday when storms swept through the region. A man also died after his pickup truck struck downed power lines in Indiana.
The same storm system has caused destruction across several other states, with tornadoes and intense thunderstorms striking parts of the Midwest and South. The NWS said conditions have created a rare setup for repeated waves of severe weather and flooding through at least Saturday.
Two workers were injured at a distribution warehouse in Brownsburg, Indiana, after part of the structure collapsed during a storm. A tornado emergency was issued in Blytheville, Arkansas, where radar showed debris lofted more than 25,000 feet into the air. In Kentucky, four people were injured when debris struck a church in Ballard County.
Forecasters said the stalled weather front is being fueled by persistent southerly winds pulling warm, moisture-rich air from the Gulf of America into the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. That combination led the Weather Prediction Center to issue a Level 4 out of 4 “High Risk” warning for flash flooding on Thursday in parts of western Tennessee, northeastern Arkansas, and western Kentucky.
Some communities in the region may see rainfall of 10 to 15 inches by the weekend, with flooding expected to worsen in areas where the ground is already saturated.
The Storm Prediction Center said that parts of the Mid-South and surrounding areas were at enhanced risk for severe weather on Thursday, warning of the potential for large hail, damaging winds and a few strong tornadoes.
Power outages were reported in at least nine states, affecting more than half a million customers across Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, and Texas, according to outage-tracking services. In Oklahoma, a tornado struck the city of Owasso early on Wednesday, heavily damaging homes and knocking down power lines. In Indiana, five semitrucks were blown over on Interstate 65 near Lowell.
Authorities urged residents to remain alert as the threat continues. Local officials and the NWS have warned people to not drive through flooded roads, and to have multiple ways to receive alerts overnight.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
