Severe storms to hit from Gulf Coast to Northeast
(CNN) -- Severe thunderstorms are expected to pound large swathes of the United States on Thursday, stretching from the Gulf Coast to New England, forecasters warned.
As the severe storms brew, chances that they could spawn more tornadoes appear to be diminishing, the National Weather Service radar showed.
The warning comes in the aftermath of the latest round of storms that struck Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas, killing a total of 16 people.
The storms late Tuesday and early Wednesday left 10 dead in Oklahoma, four in Arkansas and two in Kansas, authorities said.
High-res photos of devastation in Joplin, Missouri
But despite the slightly better weather outlook, tornado concerns remained.
Forecasters warned residents from Memphis to Nashville to take shelter and, in some cases, evacuate after spotters reported a possible tornado moving toward eastern Tennessee communities.
Huge swathes of the region face a "particularly dangerous situation," including destructive tornadoes, golf-ball sized hail and wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour, the weather service said.
2011 set to be deadliest tornado year
The most severe damage appeared to be in central Oklahoma＇s Canadian County, which includes a sliver of Oklahoma City.
At least seven people were killed and more than 100 were wounded, according to the sheriff＇s department and the county＇s emergency management office. Others were still missing, authorities said.
Search and rescue teams worked into the night Wednesday, searching for a 3-year-old who disappeared during the storms in Canadian County.
Tents and mobile units were set up to aid in the search for Ryan Hamil, who was with his pregnant mother and his siblings in their home when the storm hit, said Pam Capener, the boy＇s great-aunt.
Capener said she believes the family had taken refuge in a bathtub when the storm barreled through, killing 15-month-old Cole and injuring the mother, Catherine Hamil, and 5-year-old Cathleen.
"I don＇t know if they were thrown out," she said.
The mother, Catherine, was listed in stable condition, Capener said. "They did get the heartbeat of the baby yesterday, so the baby＇s stable."
The father, Hank Hamil, was out of town Tuesday when the storms struck. He has since returned and is searching for Ryan, Capener said.
"Last I heard, they＇re searching a 16-mile stretch," she said.
The family started a fund to raise money for hospital expenses. The Hamil family assistance fund already had close to $6,000 in pledges by late Wednesday, Capener said.
Open Story: Joplin tornado
It＇s been a historic tornado season in the U.S. More than 500 people have been killed, according to figures from the National Weather Service and local authorities. That makes 2011 the deadliest season since 1953, when 519 people were killed in twisters.
How to help
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency Wednesday in 68 Oklahoma counties hit by the tornadoes and other severe weather. Only nine counties in the state were not included in the declaration.
"Our hearts go out to those who lost their loved ones in the storms last night, and our thoughts and prayers continue to be with all the families and communities that have been affected," Craig Fugate, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement Wednesday. |
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