Southern USA battered: 16 dead amid severe floods and storms
Heavy rains and floods have struck the southern and Midwestern USA, resulting in the death of at least 16 people. These regions had already been struggling with intense storms and tornadoes.
Another wave of heavy rainfall and flash floods has affected the South and Midwest of the United States. These regions had already suffered from violent storms, which also brought deadly tornadoes. The weather front has claimed at least 16 victims.
On Saturday (April 5), meteorologists warned of further rises in river levels, which may last several more days. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued warnings of possible severe flooding in many states, threatening to inundate buildings, roads, and bridges. Since Wednesday, over 300 millimetres of rain have fallen in some parts of Kentucky, and over 200 millimetres in Arkansas and Missouri.
USA: 16 victims of catastrophic weather
So far, at least 16 deaths have been reported due to adverse weather conditions. In Tennessee, 10 people died, and in Kentucky, 2 people drowned. Tornadoes that swept through the region earlier in the week destroyed entire neighbourhoods and caused the death of at least seven people.
In Kentucky, hundreds of roads became impassable due to floods, fallen trees, and landslides. In the north-central part of the state, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the town of Falmouth, which has a population of 2,000. Meteorologists point out that the cause of such violent weather is high temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong winds, and high humidity.
Problems with forecasting
Extreme weather phenomena coincided with a situation where nearly half of the NWS forecasting offices are struggling with 20 per cent job vacancies due to staff cuts by the Trump administration.
