(Washington) At least two people were killed Saturday evening in one of the numerous tornadoes that swept across part of the Great Plains of the central United States, local authorities said Sunday.
After 78 tornadoes were recorded Friday, mainly in Iowa and Nebraska, 35 more were counted Saturday from north Texas to Missouri, according to the US Weather Service (NWS).
In the town of Holdenville in Oklahoma, at least two people, including a 4-month-old infant, died, according to several American media. Clearing operations continued on Sunday.
The small town of Sulfur, more than 100 kilometers away, was also particularly affected. Photos and videos posted on social networks show dozens of homes completely destroyed and vehicles crushed.
KOCO SCREENSHOT, PROVIDED BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
Damage in the town of Sulfur
The Murray County Sheriff’s Office urged in a Facebook post not to travel to Sulfur “unless you are a first responder.”
The governor of Oklahoma declared a state of emergency for 30 days.
Heavy rainfall was also recorded in several localities and weather alerts remained in effect on Sunday, including a risk of flash floods, hail and tornadoes.
More than 50,000 homes were without power in Texas late Sunday morning and more than 30,000 in Oklahoma, according to the PowerOutage website.
Tornadoes, a meteorological phenomenon that is as impressive as it is difficult to predict, are relatively common in the United States, particularly in the center and south of the country.
However, it is very rare for large tornadoes to follow one another, according to meteorologists.