Deadly tornadoes wreak havoc in southeastern US as storms claim 3 lives | Global News

A wave of dangerous storms is set to march through parts of the South early Thursday, following a series of severe weather events that have left a trail of destruction across the US. The storms, which have already claimed the lives of three people in Tennessee and North Carolina, are part of a larger outbreak of tornadoes and torrential rain that has swept through the country this week.

The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings stretching past midnight in several states, including North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Kentucky. Parts of Arkansas and Mississippi were also under a tornado watch through the pre-dawn hours.

In Tennessee, a 22-year-old man lost his life when high winds knocked down power lines and trees in Claiborne County. Another fatality was reported in Columbia, Maury County, where a likely tornado touched down. Homes were damaged, and several people were injured in the storm, with five patients being treated at Maury Regional Health.

The storms also prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to issue a temporary ground stop at Nashville International Airport and the National Weather Service to issue a tornado emergency for areas south of the state’s capital.

The severe weather has not been limited to the South, with tornadoes touching down in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and West Virginia. The Midwest and Plains regions have also experienced a high number of tornadoes this spring, with devastating consequences for residents in the affected areas.