The Midwest and Great Plains experienced over 100 tornadoes in roughly three days. It’s the worst tornado outbreak so far this year. Here’s what you need to know.
The tornadoes killed at least five people and injured many more. Reports of injuries and damage are still pouring in as communities across multiple states come to grips with the events of the past few days.
The tornadoes that touched down in cities like Minden, Iowa, Marietta, Oklahoma, and Omaha, Nebraska ranged from EF-0 to EF-4, with EF-4 twisters whipping up to 200 mph. While April 2011 is still by far the deadliest April in recent history in terms of tornado activity, 2024 could end up ranking second.
Among the casualties were a 64-year-old man who died from injuries sustained from a tornado in Iowa and a four-month-old baby in Oklahoma.
For the millions of Americans who were under tornado warnings for several days straight this past weekend, the ordeal ranged from stressful to downright tragic. The rest of the country watched in horror as streaming videos from storm chasers showed massive tornadoes crossing the interstate, even flipping semi-trucks.
The devastation is hard to comprehend, and there still is no official tally of the number of homes and businesses these 100+ twisters destroyed. Considering tornadoes destroyed over 150 homes in Omaha alone, the final number will be quite high.
Reports of damage are widespread across social media and news outlets. Footage from drones and helicopters in the affected areas show decimated buildings, flattened neighborhoods, and even sticks impaled in the concrete walls.
Clean-up efforts are underway and will continue for the near future.