Monster tornadoes and storms create havoc in United States, kill at least 32

At least 32 people lost their lives after southern and mid-western parts of the United States were torn by a number of tornadoes in recent days, leaving a trail of destruction and debris in its path, as per the officials.

At least eight states were struck by a monster storm over the weekend, leading to at least 50 preliminary reports of tornadoes. The affected states include Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Delaware and Alabama.

In the affected area, which has a population of 85 million people, at least 900,000 places had no power supply after the storms tore through the states on Friday evening.

On Sunday, United States President Joe Biden said that an expedited major disaster declaration has been approved to quickly provide federal assistance to Arkansas.

The president further stated that the federal organisations are closely working with as well as impacted states as the damage due to widespread storms remains under assessment.

“We … stand ready to respond to any additional requests for federal assistance. There’s nothing we can do to heal the hole left in the hearts of far too many families who lost loved ones this weekend, but we will be there every step of the way as they rebuild and recover," said Biden.

Tennessee, which has been hardest hit by the storm, recorded nine deaths due to the weather, as per the Memphis-based news channel WREG. Trees were twisted, homes were flattened into a heap of wooden boards and walls of still-standing structures were ripped by a tornado.

“The whole house, you can feel it shaking,” stated Janice Pieterick, whose glass windows and house doors blew out when the tornado swept through Lewis county of the state. “We just all hunkered down," she added.

WATCH | America's ravaging tornadoes: 26 killed as tornadoes pound Southern US

The deaths due to the storm also included at least 17 lives across Mississippi and Alabama in the south, Delaware in the mid-Atlantic, Arkansas, Indiana and Illinois in the midwest. Dozens were also left injured due to the storm.

In Sullivan, Indiana, the storms led to “severe damage” to several houses. Sullivan’s mayor Clint Lamb, on Saturday, wrote on Facebook: “We need all citizens to stay safe and stay put. Multiple houses have experienced severe damage. First responders need clear streets so they can tend to affected areas.”

A state of emergency has been declared by Indiana’s governor Eric Holcomb who has appealed for an “all hands on deck effort” in Sullivan.

(With inputs from agencies)

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