Deadly Storm Threatens 90 Million Americans in East

TEHRAN (defapress) – The massive storm system that killed several people from Texas to Mississippi is now barreling east, threatening to spawn tornadoes and other catastrophic weather from New England to the Gulf Coast.

News ID: 76826

Date: 15 April 2019 - 12:06

samaneh moslemi: About 90 million people are under the gun for destructive weather Sunday, CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said.

While Sunday's storms might not be as severe as the ones that battered the South on Saturday, they will hit far more people in heavily populated cities.

"New York, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta all within the zone," Meteorologist Derek Van Dam said.

At least one tornado was reported Sunday morning in southeast Alabama, near Troy and Goshen, the National Weather Service's Birmingham office said.

"Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the tornado. Take cover now," the NWS office said.

"Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely."

The weather service also issued tornado watches Sunday evening for parts of Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and North Carolina -- including Raleigh and Charlotte -- lasting through Sunday night.

Some of the greatest threats include scattered tornadoes, wind gusts reaching 70 mph and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter.

But tornadoes aren't the only possible cause of destruction Sunday.

"Damaging winds and some hail are also associated with these storms pushing through the Southeast this morning," Brink said.

The threat of severe weather will likely increase throughout the day, the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center said.

"Some storms may also produce large hail or torrential downpours resulting in localized flash flooding," the weather service tweeted.

Portions of Chicago saw some snow and while it began slowing down Sunday afternoon, the weather service said snow-covered surfaces may pile up to an inch of snow.

The storm system's death toll rose to at least seven on Sunday, when authorities reported the death of a Texas woman whose mobile home was destroyed Saturday night.

Four other people were injured when the trailer was struck, Houston County Emergency Management Coordinator Roger Dickey said.

The storm system's first two victims were two children in east Texas. The children, ages 3 and 8, were killed when a tree fell on a car Saturday. They were in the back seat with their parents in the front, Angelina County Sheriff's Department Capt. Alton Lenderman said.

The Alto Police Department also confirmed a woman who was injured last night at Caddo Mounds has died. At least 25 people were injured in the area and were transported to hospitals.

Message end/