Tornadoes, storms continue deadly rampage in Midwest, South
A wave of tornadoes and wild storms continued its angry march across the Midwest and South on Sunday, raising the death toll to at least 11 and leaving homes and neighborhoods in ruin.
A 2-year-old girl in Tennessee died after being struck by a metal soccer goal post that was blown over by high winds.
Melanie Espinoza Rodriguez was transported to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, the Metro Nashville Police Department posted on its Twitter page Sunday evening.
Middle Tennessee was hit by a strong line of storms that knocked down trees and power lines earlier Sunday.
In Arkansas, where two children were missing when their mother's car was caught in floodwaters, Cove Creek/Pearson Fire Chief Doug Decker died early Sunday after being struck by a vehicle while checking water levels around 4 a.m. CT, Arkansas State Trooper Liz Chapman said. It wasn't clear if Decker's death would be attributed to the storms.
Police say 65-year-old Julia Schwede was killed when a tree was blown into her home Saturday night.
At least four people were killed and 49 injured Saturday after multiple tornadoes and wild storms swept through Van Zandt County, Texas, about 50 miles east of Dallas, Canton Mayor Lou Ann Everett said Sunday. She said crews were still working to assess the situation and the death toll could rise.
The storms tore through an area 35 miles long and 15 miles wide, she said. Homes were destroyed, trees and power lines downed. Thousands were without power.
"The damage was extensive in affected areas," Everett said. "I have just driven through some of it, and it is heartbreaking."
Canton resident Ernestine Cook said she rushed to a storm shelter just in time.
"It hit so hard, so fast. It just kept moving," she said. "I've never seen anything like it after 22 years of living here."
More on weather:
It's been a disastrous, costly start to the year for weather
Multiple fatalities reported as floods, tornadoes hit Midwest, Texas
Flash flood warnings were issued in multiple states, and there were forecasts for an "ongoing major flood event" in parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. Five to 9 inches of rain fell in some areas Saturday, the weather service said.
The threat of additional flooding and other storm issues moved Sunday into the South and the Tennessee Valley.
"The good news for Texas, Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma is that things are shifting off to the east," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski told USA TODAY. "That is bad news for Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama."
He said multiple tornadoes and heavy rains were reported Sunday in Mississippi. Gov. Phil Bryant said one death was reported in Holmes County near the town of Durant. Two people were injured, he said. Carlton Hurt, the state's first confirmed fatality of the storm system, was killed when a tree fell on his home, according to Holmes County Coroner Dexter Howard.
Meanwhile, an unidentified 7-year-old died at a hospital after he was electrocuted while trying to unplug a charger from a golf cart, Rankin County Undersheriff Raymond Duke said.
In New Orleans, the PGA Tour's Zurich Classic golf tournament was suspended at 10 a.m. CT Sunday because of a "dangerous weather situation." Players were removed from the course. Tournament organizers resumed play in late afternoon. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival delayed its opening but resumed some activities in the afternoon.
The governors of Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma declared states of emergency.
In Missouri, Gov. Eric Greitens said Sunday two people died in his state during the weekend flooding.
In southwest Missouri, a woman was swept away by floodwaters Saturday near Clever, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol. Troopers responding to a call for help rescued a man traveling with the woman. There was no word on how the second person died.
The patrol had 48 marine troopers, 30 rescue boats and a helicopter capable of water rescue to help combat the flooding. The state reported nearly 100 evacuations and nearly three dozen rescues by late Saturday.
In Arkansas, the state Emergency Management Department warned that numerous roads in the state were closed because of flooding.
"If you're in this area it sounds like a great day to have a lazy(ish) Sunday and not venture out!" the department tweeted.
Contributing: Emily Brown, USA TODAY; WFAA-TV, Dallas; Therese Apel, The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger, and The Associated Press.
