Deadly storms that have caused widespread damage across the central U.S. were still bearing down on much of the country Thursday, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and putting millions under tornado watches.
Dozens of tornadoes were reported across Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri on Wednesday and overnight, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center. Images show widespread damage, with roofs collapsed, vehicles overturned and trees snapped and uprooted.
At least four deaths have been tied to the storms. Officials in Missouri said one person was killed Wednesday in the southeast part of the state, KFVS-TV reported. In Tennessee, officials reported three deaths across McNairy, Obion and Fayette counties.
Over 30 million people from Texas to Ohio and West Virginia were still at risk Thursday of powerful tornadoes and major flooding, which is only expected to worsen over the coming days as some parts of the country receive upwards of 15 inches of rain.
“This is a catastrophic, potentially historic heavy rainfall and flash flood event,” the National Weather Service said in a forecast.
Air travel impacted from Texas to Chicago
Hundreds of flights were canceled and delayed early Thursday as airports grappled with severe weather sweeping across much of the central U.S.
About 140 flights at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and more than 80 were delayed, according to FlightAware. At Chicago O’Hare International Airport, more than 150 flights were canceled and 129 delayed.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday that ground stops could be issued at Dallas-Fort Worth International and Denver International Airport.
Tennessee state troopers assist after ‘night of tornadoes’
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said several strike teams are in areas impacted by tornadoes that swept across the state Wednesday night and early Thursday.
The state agency released video on social media of troopers responding to tornado reports, searching through the wreckage of a flattened home near Selmer, a small city just north of Mississippi, which took a direct hit.
“They’re out in the middle of a lightning storm, looking for anyone who might be trapped or hurt – while strong storm cells passed just north and south of them, possibly with more tornadoes,” the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.
Rare tornado emergency in Arkansas, warehouse collapses in Indiana
In Brownsburg, Indiana, a suspected tornado collapsed a section of a large warehouse Wednesday evening, trapping one woman inside before she was rescued, local media outlets reported.
“Lots of storm damage across central Indiana,” the state police said in a statement Thursday on X, urging people to stay off flooded roads and avoid debris.
In northern Arkansas, the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency, the highest warning possible, as a “large and destructive tornado” hit Lake City and surrounding areas in the northeastern part of the state.
The police department in the nearby area of Blytheville issued a stark warning overnight: “SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY! A tornado has been spotted on the ground.”
‘We’re taking cover’: Tennessee state agent shelters in hotel bathroom
A member of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security took to a hotel bathroom to shelter after a tornado warning was issued in Middle Tennessee overnight.
Special Agent Jason Pack said he began sheltering around 3:20 a.m. after a tornado warning activated in Davidson County, which encompasses the city of Nashville.
“The emergency alert came out and we’re taking cover,” he said in a video posed on the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Facebook page. “We do take our own advice.”
He urged residents to keep up with weather updates as the storms pass over the state.
Storm damage on 56th Street near Ronald Reagan Parkway in Brownsburg, Wednesday, April 2, 2025.
Hundreds of schools close amid severe weather outbreak
School districts across the country canceled class on Thursday, citing the dangerous weather conditions brought by a massive springtime storm system.
Districts in Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio announced a delayed start to class, a shift to virtual learning or a complete closing of schools.
In Tennessee, Metro Nashville Public Schools, a district that serves over 81,000 students, closed for the day and canceled all after-school practices, games and meetings.
Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee under state of emergencies
Ahead of the storms, several governors declared state of emergencies to unlock funds and resources to assist in the preparation of the severe weather and eventual recovery effort.
State of emergencies were declared in Kentucky, Arkansas and Tennessee, with officials urging residents to prepare for potentially historic flash flooding and tornadoes by packing a go-bag and staying updated on the weather in their areas.
“This is a reminder for all of Kentucky that we are facing one of the most serious weather events we’ve had forecast,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement on X late Wednesday. “Please stay alert, take all precautions, and be prepared.”
Hundreds of thousands without power across US
From Mississippi to Michigan, more than 387,000 homes and businesses were without power early Thursday, according to PowerOutage.us.
The states with the most outages were Indiana, 114,805; Michigan, 114,774; Ohio, 75,076; Kentucky, 39,301; and Arkansas, 24,056.
Tornado warnings, flood advisories abound
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: At least 4 dead as storms threaten ‘catastrophic’ rainfall: updates
