On the evening of the 10th local time, at least 30 tornadoes were struck in 6 states in the central United States, which have killed more than 100 people so far.
According to US media reports, Arkansas, Mississippi, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri have been hit by tornadoes, many buildings have been severely damaged, and a large number of casualties have been suffered. Kentucky: More than 70 deaths entered a state of emergency
After the aerial tornado hit Kentucky "this is the most destructive tornado incident in our state's history", Kentucky Governor Andy Bayhill said on the 11th that a factory producing candles in the state was completely destroyed, and at least 70 people have died, and the final death toll may exceed 100. At present, Kentucky has declared a state of emergency.
Aerial photo of Kentucky after the tornado Image: The CNN tornado also derailed a freight train in Madisonville, in the western part of the state, but no casualties have been reported for the time being. Affected by the storm, some colleges and universities in Kentucky have canceled winter graduation ceremonies. Arkansas: Nursing home raids kill 2 A nursing home in the Monette area of Arkansas was damaged by a tornado that killed 2 people. A grocery store was severely damaged, killing one person. Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the state was in a state of "vertigo" after a night of tornado attacks. Illinois: Amazon warehouse collapses At least 6 people were killed
On the 11th local time, the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois, collapsed in a large area due to a tornado, trapping many people.
According to the latest news from the local fire department, as of the afternoon of the 11th, the Amazon warehouse has confirmed the death of 6 people. It is reported that at the time of the collapse, there were more than 50 employees in the warehouse. Tennessee: 3 deaths have killed about 140,000 homes, according to a Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, three people in Tennessee have been killed in a tornado that lasted overnight. According to data from the U.S. Power Tracking website, as of the morning of the 11th, about 140,000 households in Tennessee had lost power. Missouri: Building collapse 1 dead 2 injuries According to local authorities, a building in southeast Missouri collapsed due to a tornado on the 11th, killing 1 person and injuring 2 people. 10,000 homes in Missouri lost power. As of the 11th, data from the US National Power Tracking Website showed that the tornado attack caused more than 330,000 households in the central United States to lose power. The National Weather Service said in a tornado warning issued on the 10th that at least 25 million people are expected to be affected.
"One of the biggest tornadoes in history," Biden said at a news conference on the 11th, "This may be one of the biggest tornadoes in our history." US President Joe Biden said on the 11th that this disaster may be one of the largest tornadoes in US history. He said, "It's a tragedy. We still do not know how many more people have been killed and the extent to which all have been damaged. The New York Times quoted meteorological experts as saying on the 11th that generally speaking, tornadoes are relatively small-scale and short-lasting meteorological events, but this time the tornado seems to have erupted in a large "cluster". The U.S. Consumer News and Business Channel reported on the 12th that the National Weather Service will conduct a formal investigation to confirm whether this is a continuous tornado or multiple tornadoes produced by the same storm. If identified as a single and continuous tornado, it would set the record for the longest "long trajectory" tornado in U.S. history. Meteorologists say there are indications that the tornado is at an enhanced level, namely EF3, EF4 or EF5. (EF5 is the highest level of tornadoes, with wind speeds of up to 200 mph) Radar shows that the tornado on the night of the 11th threw the wreckage into the air 30,000 feet, which is the altitude at which commercial planes flew. Senior METEORologist Dan Pidnowski said on the 10th that such a "large and powerful" tornado is very rare in December, and this situation usually occurs in may or April in the region.
Tornadoes or climate change-related US media reports that the temperature in the central part of the United States on the 10th was very abnormal, feeling more like spring than mid-December. This warm and high humidity climate provides ample "fuel" for the creation of tornadoes, and coupled with the fact that the United States is currently affected by the La Niña phenomenon, this instability of the weather system arises when warm and humid air from the Gulf of Mexico interacts with cold fronts.
Tornado satellite imagery reports that climate change may also be playing a role. Studies have shown that climate change may cause tornado channels to move eastward, from the traditional Great Plains tornado channel to parts of the Mississippi River Basin. In the Mississippi Valley and Midwest of the United States, the frequency of tornadoes is increasing. At a press conference on the evening of the 11th, US President Biden talked about the role that climate change may play in this disaster. "What I do know is that as a consequence of global warming, the intensity of the weather has had some impact. The specific impact of these storms is not yet available. I will ask the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies to investigate. "The truth is, we all know that when the climate warms, everything gets more stressful."
Source: CCTV News Client, Xinhua News Agency, China News Network, Overseas Network, Global Network, Morning News