Extreme weather phenomena: USA, "swept" by tornadoes

Tornado season is off to a strong start in the US. At least 15 people died according to the authorities cited by the media, after the passage of strong tornadoes that hit the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Rescuers are continuing to search to try and locate possible survivors in the rubble of buildings destroyed by the weather that also caused widespread power outages. The US Weather Service (NWS) counted a total of 25 tornadoes on Saturday. North of Dallas, Texas, a tornado killed at least seven people, according to Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington. "Unfortunately, this number will increase," he warned on The Weather Channel, stating that, in the face of "massive damage" on the ground, searches are ongoing. An area of the highway was hit hard by the storm, while dozens of people took refuge in a gas station for protection. "A lot" of people were injured there, Ray Sappington said. Two people died in western Oklahoma due to another tornado, according to officials quoted by a local television station. In the state of Arkansas, these phenomena caused a total of five deaths, according to the authorities quoted by a local channel, the media showing images of destroyed buildings, downed electric poles and broken tree branches. One person was also killed in Louisville, Kentucky, according to Mayor Craig Greenberg. Bad weather postponed the start of the 108th edition of the famous Indianapolis 500 race, with organizers asking the approximately 125,000 spectators to leave the stands. The race was able to take place after a four-hour delay. About 490,000 homes were without power Sunday from Texas in the south to Ohio in the north, according to the website poweroutage.us. Thunderstorm warnings were also in effect for Sunday. Tornadoes, a meteorological phenomenon as impressive as it is difficult to predict, are relatively common in the United States, especially in the center and south of the country.