500,000 without electricity

Violent storms in the USA: At least 15 dead

Violent storms left a trail of devastation in the south and mid-west of the USA on Sunday.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur)

Violent storms left a trail of devastation in the south and mid-west of the USA on Sunday and claimed the lives of at least 15 people. Rescue workers and police searched for possible victims in the rubble in several places and treated dozens of injured people.

Deaths were reported on Sunday evening from the states of Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky. US media reported hailstones that were about the size of tennis balls. According to preliminary estimates, one of the storms in Oklahoma reached at least level three out of five - tornadoes of this classification can reach speeds of up to 265 kilometers per hour.

Half a million people without power
Local authorities and eyewitnesses shared photos and videos of the destruction on social media. The storms caused heavy articulated lorries and their loads to tip over, razed buildings to the ground and tore down power lines. Almost half a million people in nine states were without power in the early hours of Sunday evening, according to CNN.

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The Texas county of Cooke County near Dallas was hit particularly hard. According to reports citing the sheriff in charge, a storm there first destroyed a rest stop on a highway and then raged through a trailer park.

More than 100 injured in Texas alone
Seven people died, including four children. More than 100 people were injured across Texas, as the governor of the state, Greg Abbott, explained at a press conference. Hundreds of houses were destroyed. The extent of the destruction only slowly became clear on Sunday evening. A state of emergency was declared in several regions.

Monday is a public holiday in the USA - the long "Memorial Day Weekend" unofficially heralds the start of summer with the opening of the swimming season. Many Americans get together for a swim and a barbecue. In some places, the celebrations are now likely to be canceled due to the risk of severe weather. The National Weather Service issued further severe weather and tornado warnings for several states. In the south of Texas, heat warnings were also in place due to perceived temperatures of over 45 degrees.

Experts attribute the increase in natural disasters in the USA - storms, floods and forest fires - to the consequences of climate change. According to the US weather service, the number of tornadoes has multiplied in recent years.