Severe storms hit the United States on Tuesday, causing tornadoes and three weather-related deaths in the South, while intense winds and blizzards hit the North and left hundreds of thousands of people without power. This Wednesday much of the country remained on alert for the possibility of further rain and snowstorms.
Torrential rains that caused Flash floods, wind gusts of over 80 kilometers per hour and thunderstorms hit the East Coast from the mid-Atlantic to the northeast, according to the National Weather Service.
“Do not underestimate this alarm,” warned New Jersey governor Phil Murphy in an interview with local media.
He described the storm as “unusual,” citing heavy January rain and strong winds along the coast.
The inclement weather even caused Vice President Kamala Harris’ plane, Air Force 2, to be diverted from its usual landing site, Andrews Base, and headed to Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
Heavy rain this Tuesday in New York. Photo: AFP Tornadoes and deaths
In the meantime, tornadoes devastated the south-east of the countryincluding the Florida peninsula, where drone footage showed downed trees, damaged buildings and torn roofs.
According to authorities, there were at least three storm-related deaths across a large area of several southern states.
One person died in a North Carolina trailer park, where several homes were damaged, according to Catawba County government officials.
Another died when a tree fell on a vehicle’s windshield in Jonesboro, Georgia, south of Atlanta, according to the Clayton County Police Department.
An 81-year-old woman in Alabama also died when a tornado hit her mobile home and caused it to roll, local media reported, citing the Houston County coroner.
Snow covered several areas of the midwestern United States, such as Des Moines, Iowa, this Tuesday. Photo: REUTERSPower outages
More than 890,000 customers were without power in the United States Tuesday night, mostly in the East, according to the website Poweroutage.us.
In the central part of the country, heavy snow They hit the upper Midwest and were heading toward the Great Lakes region, the weather service confirmed.
The weather was already having a major impact on flights, with more than 1,300 canceled and 8,600 delayed by the end of Tuesday, tracking site FlightAware.com reported.
Some of the cancellations were due to some Boeing 737 MAX planes being grounded for inspection after a panel came off an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight on Friday.
Scientists say that as humanity continues to warm the planet by burning fossil fuels, weather patterns will become more unpredictable. That means wetter, more powerful storms along with hotter, drier periods that will put more strain on water resources.
Source: AFP
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.