Eight years ago, the deadliest tornado in U.S. history wreaked havoc on the 50,000-person city of Joplin, Missouri, killing 161 people. On Wednesday night, city residents had to relive the fear of that day as more than two dozen tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma and Missouri, one touching down near Joplin.
Three deaths have been confirmed in Missouri, according to a tweet from the state public safety office. A death in Oklahoma is being investigated as potentially weather related. Several others were injured.
Government officials are still assessing the level of damage, but state buildings suffered as a tornado tore through the state capital, Jefferson City, at 64km per hour. Now, the immediate threat is the floodwaters rising as a result of the accompanying heavy rain.
The Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi Rivers are all seeing “major flooding,” which could have implications far beyond Missouri and Oklahoma. The storm is heading east, so forecasters expect Baltimore and Pittsburgh to be most at-risk for “bad weather,” reports the AP.
The madness began over the weekend when some of the Southern states forecast shows that thunder, hail, a whole lot of rain, and maybe even more tornadoes could continue into Friday.
All this flooding and destruction come at the heels of a wet winter and spring throughout the Midwest. This new outpour of rain likely won’t help those already struggling to rebuild.