A series of violent storms caused tornadoes and damaging weather conditions, stretching from the South to the Ohio Valley, resulting in at least three fatalities and numerous injuries.
In Pennsylvania, two individuals lost their lives due to falling trees amid the storms on Wednesday, as per a report by CNN affiliate WPVI. A tree falling on their vehicles while they were driving resulted in the death of an 82-year-old woman in Collegeville and a 70-year-old man in Aston Township, officials informed WPVI.
Kentucky witnessed the death of at least one person due to the harsh storms on Tuesday, as announced by Governor Andy Beshear. The victim died in a vehicle crash in Campbell County amid severe weather conditions.
Governor Beshear declared a state of emergency statewide on Tuesday following significant storm damage, especially in the Lexington area, although no other deaths or serious injuries were reported in the state.
Gov. Andy Beshear has declared a state of emergency after severe storms swept through the commonwealth starting Monday, April 1. More storms are continuing into the evening today.
Read more: https://t.co/xV81IwtgXd pic.twitter.com/wGOlNFZ6wA
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) April 2, 2024
Injuries in Indiana, State of Emergency in West Virginia
The storms also injured at least 10 individuals in Jeffersonville, Indiana, located just north of Louisville, according to the town’s mayor speaking to CNN affiliate WLKY.
West Virginia’s Governor, Jim Justice, declared a state of emergency Tuesday for multiple counties, including Fayette, Kanawha, Lincoln, and Nicholas, due to the storms causing “flooding, downed trees, power outages, and road blockages”.
Kevin Walker, the director of Fayette County, West Virginia’s Office of Emergency Management, reported that at least 13 homes suffered damage and some residents were injured, though the injuries were not life-threatening.
Tornadoes and Damages Across Multiple States
Between Tuesday and Wednesday morning, 16 tornadoes were reported across Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia, along with numerous reports of damaging winds, some reaching over 100 mph in Kentucky.
In Georgia, a tornado significantly damaged Conyers, southeast of Atlanta, early Wednesday morning. The storm caused a tree to fall on a teen’s car, who was then rescued and hospitalized. The National Weather Service office in Peachtree City classified the tornado as EF2, with a path length of approximately 9.5 miles and a width of 800 yards, featuring winds up to 115 mph.
An elementary school in Ohio was severely damaged by a storm, with Fairland West Elementary in Proctorville facing destruction. Fortunately, students were on spring break at the time. Over in West Virginia, more than 53,000 utility customers were left without power after strong winds swept through the state.
In Tennessee, a funeral home and several homes suffered damage in Sunbright due to the storm system, which included two tornadoes on Tuesday. A tornado in Sunbright was rated EF1 by the National Weather Service after a damage assessment.
Oklahoma experienced structural damage in Barnsdall from four tornadoes on Monday. Homes, garages, and roofs suffered damage, according to Barnsdall Police. Missouri also saw three tornadoes on Monday, as reported by the Storm Prediction Center.
In southern Indiana, high winds or a possible tornado caused several vehicles to flip over on Interstate 265, resulting in minor injuries, according to Indiana State Police in Sellersburg.
The storm system continues to pose a threat of tornadoes, strong winds, and large hail across the Southeast and East Coast, from Florida to the mid-Atlantic, affecting over 30 million people.
