Nine Tornadoes Tear Through the Heartland, Leaving at Least 8 Dead and Communities in Ruins

A multi-day severe weather outbreak has left a trail of destruction across the American Heartland, killing at least eight people and devastating communities from Texas to Michigan between Thursday and Saturday. At least nine confirmed tornadoes tore through the region, ranging in strength from EF-0 to EF-3, and the National Weather Service says additional tornadoes may still be confirmed as damage surveys continue.

The storm system stretched more than 1,500 miles from Texas to the Northeast and affected more than 90 million people across multiple states, making it one of the most significant early-season outbreaks in recent memory.

Thursday Night: A Deadly Start in Oklahoma

The outbreak began Thursday night across the Texas Panhandle, northwest Oklahoma, and southern Kansas, where at least five tornadoes were either spotted or detected by radar. One large EF2 tornado killed two people in Major County, Oklahoma, a county roughly 80 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

The victims were a mother and daughter whose vehicle was struck by the tornado while traveling near State Highway 60 and 243 Road west of Fairview. A tornado warning had been in effect for parts of the county at the time. The same storm system blew over a semi-trailer in Major County and produced additional tornado damage in Grant County, where trees, power lines, and several structures were knocked down.