Floods and Tornadoes Devastate South, Midwest Regions

Floods and Tornadoes Devastate South, Midwest Regions/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Severe weather continues to devastate the South and Midwest as deadly tornadoes give way to catastrophic flooding. At least seven people have died, and over 90 million remain under threat from ongoing storms. Emergency services are bracing for widespread flash floods and infrastructure strain.

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Floods and Tornadoes Devastate South, Midwest Regions – Quick Looks

• At least seven people killed by tornadoes in Tennessee, Missouri, and Indiana
• Over 90 million people at risk for continued severe weather from Texas to Maine
• Major flooding expected from Arkansas through Kentucky and Tennessee
• Tennessee and Missouri towns flattened, with entire neighborhoods destroyed
• Emergency crews conducting rescues, staging resources, and preparing for more flash flooding
• Federal agencies mobilized, including FEMA with supplies and rescue support
• Experts cite perfect storm conditions—moisture, warm air, and high wind shear
• Storms disrupt cargo routes, risking broader supply chain issues

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Floods and Tornadoes Devastate South, Midwest Regions

Deep Look

Communities across the South and Midwest are bracing for even more extreme weather after devastating tornadoes tore through towns earlier this week, leaving at least seven people dead and countless others without homes. Now, as heavy rainfall continues, meteorologists warn of catastrophic flash flooding that could affect millions more through Saturday.

The violent storm system has already left behind widespread destruction. In Selmer, Tennessee, entire neighborhoods were wiped out. Three suspected tornadoes tore through the town, flattening homes and gutting businesses like a local car dealership, now reduced to a debris-strewn shell. Lightning struck as emergency workers scoured rubble for survivors. Among the dead were a Tennessee man and his teenage daughter, killed when their home was destroyed, and a man in Indiana whose truck collided with downed power lines.

In Missouri, Garry Moore, a fire chief in Whitewater, lost his life, likely while assisting a stranded driver during the storm. Missouri authorities described the conditions as “life-threatening” and warned residents to prepare for further disruptions.

The storms, however, are far from over. Forecasters from the National Weather Prediction Center in Maryland say the region is now in the direct path of repeated thunderstorm bands expected to dump heavy rain from Arkansas through Kentucky and Tennessee. These storm systems are forming and traveling along the same tracks—likened to freight trains—raising the threat of flash floods capable of sweeping away cars and endangering lives.

With more than 90 million Americans at risk of severe weather from Texas all the way to Maine, the scale of the unfolding crisis is national. The center of the danger zone lies near the Mississippi River and includes Memphis, Tennessee, where over 1.3 million residents face significant flood risk.

Late Thursday, rainfall intensified in parts of southeastern Missouri and western Kentucky. The National Weather Service issued urgent warnings for “life-threatening” flash flooding across both rural and urban zones. In Nashville, Tennessee, floodwaters already required emergency rescues, as local sirens drained their batteries from ongoing tornado warnings earlier in the week.

Federal and local emergency services are now on high alert. Sandbags and water rescue teams are being deployed across the region. FEMA is on standby with food, cots, water, and generators, preparing for mass displacement and infrastructure strain. Western Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear reported more than 25 state highways flooded and predicted that some areas would break historic rainfall records.

The storm’s ferocity is especially dangerous in Appalachia and rural mountain regions, where water can rapidly surge into valleys. These areas remain haunted by the deadly floods of 2022, when dozens were killed in Eastern Kentucky.

Meteorologists, including AccuWeather’s Jonathan Porter, warned that major hubs like Louisville and Memphis could see shipping and supply chain disruptions due to flooding. As key transport arteries in the central U.S. become inundated, economic ripple effects are expected.

Forecasters attribute the extreme weather to a convergence of factors: unusually warm temperatures, high levels of moisture from the Gulf, an unstable atmospheric structure, and strong wind shear—all of which create an ideal environment for long-lasting and destructive storms.

Back in Arkansas, a tornado near Blytheville was powerful enough to loft debris more than 25,000 feet into the sky. The state’s emergency management office confirmed storm-related damage in at least 22 counties from tornadoes, hail, and flash flooding. In Lake City, Arkansas, bulldozers cleared rubble from the highways as residents assessed damage. Winds reached speeds of 150 mph, toppling trees, hurling cars, and ripping roofs from homes.

Rhonda Qualls recalled how a tornado leveled her husband’s childhood home in northeast Arkansas. “My husband has been extremely tearful and emotional, but he also knows that we have to do the work,” she said. “He was in shock last night, cried himself to sleep.”

Mississippi also reported serious damage, with at least 60 homes affected. In Ballard County, Kentucky, four people were injured while sheltering in a car under a church carport—a grim reminder of the unpredictable nature of the storm system.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee emphasized that the danger is far from over. “Don’t let your guard down,” he urged residents. “Have a plan. Prepare for more.” Emergency crews continue to search through the rubble as weather warnings persist, signaling that more storms and flooding could still be on the horizon.

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