At least seven people lost their lives when a powerful storm system struck several parts of the US
The East Coast of America has been devastated by a storm system on Wednesday. It has resulted in the loss of several lives besides destroying many homes. Many of the Survivors are still grateful to have been spared by the hail.
Tens of tornadoes struck the East Coast (Eastern US) on Wednesday accompanied by golf ball sized hail raining down from the skies. Winds as fast as 100 mph were also recorded in Florida. The worst of the tornado strikes and hail may have been over, but the prevailing low side pressure system could result in snow to the great lakes, and also severe winds to the Northeastern parts of the country.
Tom Sater, the meteorologist for Cable News Network stated that there are great winds at the moment that are resulting in lizard conditions in the Great Lakes. The threat of severe weather around New York to Philadelphia area is still there. On Wednesday, at least four people lost their lives in Virginia. Two more people were killed in the South on Tuesday.
The National Weather Service reported that there were sixteen tornadoes in total that have been reported on the East Coast. Eight of them hit Virginia, five hit North Carolina, and three of them devastated Florida. Since Thursday, at least fifty two tornadoes have been reported to have hit different parts of the country.
On Wednesday, a rare February tornado warning was issued for the areas including parts of Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.
The warning remained in effect till 11 p.m. Utility companies reported that on Thursday, thousands of people had no electricity in the District of Columbia and several other states. The severe weather condition also resulted in cancellation of more than two thousand flights.
The state police said that three people including a child, an old man, and a 26 year old person, were killed in Waverly. Their bodies were recovered only a few hundred yards from their mobile home. They were apparently thrown out of the home by the gusts of wind.
Experts are saying that the third of the US was struck by the massive storm which tripled the threat. The situation was further aggravated by blizzard and flooding. On Tuesday, two more people lost their lives in Louisiana. The tornado had apparently ripped through the RV Park.
The National Weather Service further stated that in Lamar, Mississippi, another man lost his life. The person’s name was Harris Dale Purvis. He was seventy four years old. In Essex, Virginia, at least twenty people were injured. The Virginia Department of Emergency reported that the state was hit by at least one powerful tornado.
And in Tappahannock — a city in Essex County — authorities were trying to rescue several people trapped in wreckage from the storm, CNN affiliate WWBT reported.
The state police said that a curfew had been imposed in Waverly beginning from Wednesday night. This is required for clearing up the roads and first responders. People have also been requested by the authorities in other places to stay off the roads.
Virginia State Police also stated that all the schools in the Appomattox County will remain closed on Thursday. A state of emergency was declared in Santa Rosa, Florida.
