At least 15 people were killed across the central United States as tornadoes and other extreme storms hit several states, including Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, officials said Sunday.
Rescue efforts were ongoing, and hundreds of thousands of customers were without power after the storms struck the Southern Plains region beginning late Saturday.
In Texas, Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington reported at a press conference that seven people were dead after a tornado ripped through the Valley View area, north of Dallas, according to local ABC affiliate WFAA.
Search and rescue operations continued as Texas Governor Gregg Abbott signed a decree for four counties, freeing up funds and staff to aid those whose homes were damaged or destroyed.
The twister caused destruction to homes, a gas station, and overturned vehicles on an interstate highway. Sappington described the damage as “pretty extensive” in an interview with The Weather Channel.
In Oklahoma, at least two people were reported dead after a tornado struck Mayes County late Saturday, according to Johnny Janzen, the county head of emergency management, who spoke to the Fox News affiliate in Tulsa.
In Arkansas, authorities confirmed to local ABC station KATV that five people were killed in storms during the early hours of Sunday. Power lines and trees were downed, and some areas experienced flash flooding.
Another fatality was reported in Louisville, Kentucky, as confirmed by Mayor Craig Greenberg.
As far north as Indiana, the start of the Indianapolis 500 was delayed for four hours on Sunday due to storms in the area. Fans were asked to exit the bleachers and seek shelter.
A crowd of 125,000 was anticipated for the race, which is one of the most emblematic car races in America.
As the storm system traversed the country, nearly 490,000 customers were left without power in states spanning from Texas up to Kansas and eastward to Ohio and Kentucky, as reported by the website Poweroutage.us.
Tornado alerts remained active in several areas.