Three dead and 1,000 without power after severe weather sweeps across US and storms drop tennis ball-sized hail
THREE people have died since thunderstorms, tornadoes and outsized hail swept through the central US in recent days.
The severe storms that battered the prairie region on Wednesday are expected to affect more than 22 million people.
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The severe weather disaster is expected to continue through the weekend, with warnings being issued in several states including Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa.
Strong storms outside of Oklahoma City have already killed three people and injured many more on Thursday morning, according to the Daily Beast.
A tornado reportedly swept through dozens of communities, destroying many homes and leaving people without power.
McClain County Deputy Sheriff Scott Gibbons has warned the number of injuries could continue to rise.
“Unfortunately, the numbers can increase,” Gibbons warned, adding a “normal” number for the number of injured of 12.
Downpours and large gusts of wind were also reported in the Midwest.
Hail the size of baseball and tennis balls fell around Oklahoma, the New York Post reported.
Meteorologists have predicted more severe weather will come to the fore on Friday.
A combination of low pressure and dry, dusty air spurs the unpredictable patterns suggested by the Fox forecasting team.
Fox Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin explained that a cold front will unleash another wave of destruction.
“Eventually the cold front comes into play,” Merwin said. “It’s more of a series of thunderstorms catching up with these independent thunderstorms along the dry line, and then we’ll track those as we work our way…into Friday.”
The cold front will continue eastward Friday across parts of the southern plains and lower Mississippi Valley.
Storms could continue into the weekend, with another potential cold front moving southeast on Saturday.
The Fox Forecast Center added that the exact high-risk locations are uncertain as it is still a few days away.
However, people living near areas already affected have been urged to seek shelter for the next few days.
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