Seventy-eight tornadoes recorded Friday, April 26, mainly in Iowa and Nebraska; thirty-five others the next day, from north Texas to Missouri… Part of the Great Plains of the central United States were swept by violent winds which caused the death of at least five people, according to the results of local authorities .
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt confirmed the deaths of four people in the state on Sunday. A woman was killed in the small town of Sulphur, which was particularly affected, he said at a press conference. Photos and videos posted on social networks show dozens of homes completely destroyed and vehicles crushed.
More than 100 kilometers away, in Holdenville, at least two other people lost their lives, according to the disaster management department, with local media reporting a four-month-old infant among the victims. Clearing operations continue on Sunday.
A fourth person died on a highway in Marietta, in the same state. Broadcasts by local media notably showed two semi-trailers overturned and a warehouse opened in two.
State of emergency in Oklahoma
The governor of Oklahoma declared a state of emergency for thirty days. Heavy rainfall was also recorded in several localities and weather alerts remained in effect on Sunday, including a risk of flash floods, hail and tornadoes.
In Iowa, a fifth victim, a man, died of his injuries in hospital, his family announced to KETV NewsWatch 7.
More than 2,000 homes were without power in Texas and more than 19,000 in Oklahoma as of Sunday afternoon, according to the PowerOutage website.
Tornadoes, a meteorological phenomenon that is as impressive as it is difficult to predict, are relatively frequent in the United States, particularly in the center and south of the country. However, it is very rare for large tornadoes to follow one another, according to meteorologists.