A deadly severe weather outbreak unleashed a series of tornadoes across the southern United States on Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming the lives of at least two people in Texas and Mississippi.
The storms erupted early Saturday afternoon, bringing powerful thunderstorms, high winds, and multiple tornadoes to Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. One of the first tornadoes was spotted near Katy, Texas, a suburb of Houston, where residents captured dramatic footage of the twister.
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A particularly destructive long-tracked storm southeast of Houston produced multiple tornadoes over several hours. In Liverpool, Texas, one person was killed and four others were injured when a tornado touched down. The same storm continued its path of destruction, generating tornado warnings near Dickinson and Port Arthur, Texas.
In Mississippi, a large tornado tore through the community of McCall Creek, destroying homes and downing trees. An 18-year-old high school student in Natchez, Mississippi, was killed when a tree fell on their home. Two others were injured in the incident.
The storms left widespread damage and power outages in their wake. Tens of thousands of customers were without power across Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas.
The severe weather threat is expected to continue on Sunday across the Southeast, with the risk of damaging winds, hail, and more tornadoes. Millions of people are under tornado watches in parts of Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
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“This is a dangerous situation, and people need to take the necessary precautions to stay safe,” said Brian Lada, an AccuWeather meteorologist. “Monitor weather reports closely and be prepared to take shelter if a tornado warning is issued for your area.”
The National Weather Service is urging residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and stay informed about the latest weather updates.
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