At least 21 dead after storms hit US states of Missouri and Kentucky
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear on Saturday said on X that at least 14 people died in Friday night's storms.
At least seven others were killed in Missouri as authorities launched a search for people trapped in buildings.
Kentucky authorities said there were severe injuries when a tornado tore across Laurel County late on Friday. 'The search is continuing in the damaged area for survivors,' the office of Sheriff John Root said in a statement posted on social media.
In Missouri, St Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed five deaths in her city and said more than 5,000 homes were affected.
'Our city is in mourning tonight,' she told reporters. 'The loss of life and destruction is truly, truly horrific.'
Another tornado struck Scott County, about 209km (130 miles) south of St Louis, killing two people, injuring several others and destroying multiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetley wrote on social media on Friday.
'Our first responders acted swiftly, even while the tornado was still active, putting themselves in harm's way to provide immediate assistance and care to those injured,' he said.
The storms are part of a severe weather system that has also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, leaving thousands of people without power in the Great Lakes region and bringing a punishing heatwave to Texas.
A dust storm warning was issued around the Chicago area on Friday night. The weather service said a wall of dust extended along a 161km (100-mile) line from southwest of Chicago to northern Indiana that severely reduced visibility.
In Texas, a heat advisory was issued for San Antonio and Austin cities, with temperatures at a blistering 95F (35C) to 105F (40.5C). Parts of the southern East Coast, from Virginia to Florida, also battled with heat in the 90s (32-37C).
The National Weather Service Office for Austin and San Antonio said humidity over the weekend was expected to make temperatures feel hotter.
'There are concerns of heat exhaustion for people that aren't taking proper precautions when they're outdoors,' meteorologist Jason Runyen said, advising those affected to take breaks and stay hydrated.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Al Jazeera
Chelsea halted only by lightning, beating Benfica as CW quarterfinals await
Chelsea became the first English side to reach the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup following a 4-1 win after extra time against the 10-man Benfica in North Carolina. Reece James scored the opening goal of the game in the 64th minute on Saturday, with a spectacular free kick from a tight angle on the left wing. Angel Di Maria levelled the match in the fifth minute of stoppage time from the penalty spot after a soft handball decision against Malo Gusto. Goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and K Dewsbury-Hall restored and sealed Chelsea's advantage in extra time. It was the least the Blues deserved after dominating the match from start to finish. The end was heavily delayed, however, when the players were removed from the field of play at Bank Of America Stadium in Charlotte by the referee due to a nearby lightning storm. The delay was nearly two hours in length, despite only four minutes remaining of the match when the players left the field. Chelsea's players were visibly annoyed by the decision to halt the game so close to the full-time whistle, and with victory in sight. Unusually high temperatures for the time of year contributed to the inclement conditions. Both the cause and the effect are a concern ahead of the FIFA 2026 World Cup also being staged by the United States next summer. It is the sixth time a Club World Cup match has been halted due to bad weather. Common public safety protocols in the US mandate that outdoor sports events are suspended for at least 30 minutes when lightning is seen or thunder heard. The Blues dominated the possession and the chances, the best of which in the first half fell to Marc Cucurella whose curling effort from just inside the box was headed off the line by by Benfica's Antonio Silva at the back post, with the keeper well beaten. Cole Palmer drew the finest save from Benfica's Ukrainian keeper, Anatoliy Trubin, when he was slipped into the box and powered a shot at the near post. Trubin was left red-faced by the moment of magic from James to win the match as the wide player drilled his effort in at the near post, with the keeper seemingly more concerned about a potential cross. Benfica's leveller – after the lightning delay – came after Gusto left his arms flailing in the air and, although soft, the Video Assistant Referee had little choice but to call the referee to review the decision. Di Maria coolly slotted home the resulting kick, despite the stormy conditions that surrounded the stadium. The comeback from Benfica, after the heavy delay to the match, was merely a further annoyance to Chelsea, whose job was made all the easier by a second yellow shown to Gianluca Prestianni. The Benfica forward was booked during the celebrations for his side's equaliser and was then shown a second yellow for a late tackle after only two minutes of extra time. Palmeiras first to book CWC quarterfinal spot Paulinho worked his way between a pair of defenders and rolled a shot into the back of the net in extra time earlier on Saturday to put Palmeiras into the quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Brazilian league rival Botafogo. Paulinho, who has made one appearance for Brazil's national team, dribbled through the defence with an inside cut from the right wing in the 100th minute. He then sent a left-footed shot into the lower left corner of John's net. Botafogo created multiple chances for an equalizer in the final minutes but could not get a goal. The match at Lincoln Financial Field was full of attacking play, with a combined 35 shot attempts. Palmeiras, however, ended the match with 10 men after defender Gustavo Gomez was given a red card. Gomez received a second yellow card in the 116th minute after tackling Igor Jesus in midfield to prevent Botafogo from starting a counterattack. The 33,657 fans in attendance helped set the tone for the match with incessant cheering, bringing the flavour of a South American game to the United States. 'Coach has been saying this since the start of the season that we have a dream and dreaming costs nothing,' Palmeiras defender Bruno Fuchs said after. 'We follow that dream, one game after another. Always thinking about the present, about the next game… We're very happy, we're pleased to have qualified, and as I said, we have to keep dreaming.'
Al Jazeera
26-06-2025
- Al Jazeera
Photos: Floods leave six dead and thousands displaced in China
Published On 26 Jun 2025 26 Jun 2025 Six people have died from floods in China's Guizhou province, state media said, after more than 80,000 people were driven from their homes this week. Towns and villages by a key river in China's Guangxi lay half-submerged as floodwaters from a province upstream roared into the mountainous region, with the expected landfall of a tropical cyclone later on Thursday compounding disaster risk. The flooding that overwhelmed the counties of Rongjiang and Congjiang in Guizhou province on Tuesday has spread downstream to other parts of southwest China, including rural settlements in Guangxi by the Liu River, which originates from Guizhou. On Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV said 'exceptionally large floods' had swept through Guizhou's Rongjiang county since Tuesday. China is enduring a summer of extreme weather. This week, authorities issued the second-highest heat warning for the capital, Beijing, on one of its hottest days of the year so far. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated last week in Hunan province – neighbouring Guizhou – due to heavy rain.
Al Jazeera
11-06-2025
- Al Jazeera
At least 49 dead in South Africa flooding, students washed away in bus
At least 49 people have died in heavy flooding in South Africa's Eastern Cape province after an extreme cold front brought torrential rain and blanketed snow in parts of the country, officials said. Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said on Wednesday that the death toll, provided by police, is expected to rise as authorities continue to search for the missing. 'As we speak here, other bodies are being discovered,' Mabuyane told reporters at a briefing. In one tragic incident, authorities reported the deaths of six high school students who were washed away on Tuesday when their school bus was caught in floodwaters near a river. Four other students were among the missing, Mabuyane said. Authorities found the school bus earlier Wednesday, but it was empty. Three of the students were rescued on Tuesday when they were found clinging to trees, the provincial government said. Disaster response teams have been activated in Eastern Cape province and the neighbouring KwaZulu-Natal province after torrential rain hit parts of southern and eastern South Africa over the weekend. Power outages have affected hundreds of thousands of homes, authorities said. Eastern Cape officials said at least 58 schools and 20 hospitals were damaged by the floods. Approximately 500 people were taken to temporary shelters after their homes were washed away or damaged, they added. 'I have never seen something like this,' Mabuyane said. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa offered his condolences to the affected families in a statement. His office said South Africa's National Disaster Management Centre was now working with local authorities in the Eastern Cape. Weather forecasters had warned for days prior that an especially strong weather front was heading for the eastern and southern parts of South Africa, bringing damaging rains in some parts and snow in others.
