Records set over the Midwest in the 2011 and 2015 storms have not been broken until now. Following a freak weather storm that began on Saturday and abated on Tuesday, numerous residents across different areas have seen the record-breaking storms change their lives.
The Storm
The storm itself was broadcast over several states. Some states such as Louisiana declared states of emergency as the raging winds and rains swept through western towns. The affected areas include Louisiana, Missouri, Dallas and Canton in Texas, Pocahontas in Arkansas as well as Mississippi, Oklahoma and Alabama regions.
The storm manifested itself in five tornadoes in the Texan State. The tornadoes were strong with one even being classified as an EF4. The twisters tore through the Canton and Dallas towns, wreaking havoc. Over fifty homes were evacuated as the storm threatened to change direction. Greg Abbott, the Governor of Texas, declared the storms ‘one of the worst’. “I looked through the area while in a chopper,” Abbott said, “and I have never seen such destruction. Trees have been knocked down… homes had been flattened.”
In Florida, more people were cleared out as rip currents threatened to overwhelm the area due to the heavy downfall. Violent winds caused the uprooting of trees as well as the hitting of homes by beams. Kansas suffered massive downpour while people fled Alabama and Ohio when the possibility of the storm heading in that direction was announced.
But perhaps the most affected regions were Missouri, Cape Girardeau, and Mississippi. In Mississippi, water levels rose fast. Several people were killed because of the flash flooding, leaving others unaccounted for. Rescue missions have been underway for two days now, though the general atmosphere seems to be that these missions are for body recovery instead. The region has been warned of possible flash floods, though authorities have deemed it likely that the worst of the storm had passed by Tuesday.
Cape Girardeau was not evacuated because the entire area was flooded. People on the ground reported that the only way in or out was by boat. This option of leaving by boat was not taken up by residents, who observed that the dangerously unpredictable water levels were not safe to travel in. County Emergency Director Richard Knaup said, “These people know how to take care of themselves.”
The Missouri region was flooded by the heavy thunderstorm in the area. By Sunday, the water levels had risen by one foot. Along with some sections of the Mississippi River, Missouri was flooded by water from creeks that had broken their banks. Missouri reported some of the largest numbers in mass evacuation with more than 100 homes being cleared out along the Meramec River. Roads in the area were closed off. Over 100 rescue missions were recorded in Missouri, and that is leaving out all of the unreported cases.
The storm has left a lot of destruction in its wake. People’s homes have been destroyed, and they have resorted to life in shelters. Infrastructure has suffered as well. About twenty people had been confirmed dead by Monday, with many others injured or missing. Businesses have closed down, and there have been many blackouts.
