Five people are dead and more than 640,000 households across the South were without power Sunday afternoon as storms and extreme weather continued to rip through the region, according to the tracking website PowerOutage.us.
Oklahoma was the state hardest-hit by power outages, with more than 290,800 customers without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us. More than 110,000 households in both Louisiana and Texas were out of power, while more than 62,000 were out in Arkansas and more than 53,000 were out in Mississippi, according to the power outage tracker.
The outages come after the National Weather Service warned early Sunday that parts of the region were expected to see severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, excessive heat warnings, and critical fire weather risk, defined as low relative humidity, strong surface wind, unstable air, and drought, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.
NWS Houston urged Texans to take heat precautions as the heat index is greater than 113 degrees Fahrenheit, tweeting: “Take frequent breaks, stay hydrated, NEVER leave people/pets alone in a car!”
Gov. Greg Abbott, meanwhile, visited Perryton in the Texas Panhandle, where officials said more than 1,000 customers were left without electricity after a tornado killed three people late Thursday. The Perryton Ochiltree Chamber of Commerce said it would open a cooling center in the town of 8,000 people, about 115 miles northeast of Amarillo, to counteract the effects of the high temperatures that followed the storm.
“At times of events like these, Texans come together,” Abbott told reporters as he signed a disaster declaration that he said would “trigger all the resources the state can bring to bear … to accelerate the ability to rebuild.”
The Republican governor said he was shocked to see how much of the town had been destroyed and praised what he called “non-stop heroic efforts by healthcare providers” who he said treated 160 injured people at the local hospital that has just 25 beds.
Several counties in Mississippi were under severe thunderstorm warnings and could face hail, strong winds and tornados, NWS Jackson said.
One person was reported dead in Madison County, about 31 miles north of Jackson, following severe weather on Friday that also damaged at least 69 homes, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
NWS Tulsa said on Twitter that Oklahoma residents should expect temperatures to stretch into the 90s over the next couple of days and take precautions to beat the heat, adding, “heat impacts will quickly become a concern early this week, especially for those that remain without power OR those involved in storm recovery efforts.”
Tulsa Mayor G. T. Bynum said early Sunday afternoon that it could take hours for emergency crews to clear major roadways that had become impassable due to fallen trees, NBC affiliate KJRH of Tulsa reported.
NWS New Orleans warned of “gusty winds and deadly lightning” from developing thunderstorms coming out of Jackson County, Mississippi, about 110 miles to the east.
The City of New Orleans opened cooling centers and hydration stations and advised residents to take extra precautions if they were spending time outside by wearing lightweight and loose-fitting clothing, taking frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments, and drinking lots of water.
Entergy New Orleans and the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans suspended electricity shut-offs for delinquent accounts through Tuesday.
Strong winds and hail were also expected throughout several counties in Arkansas, according to NWS Little Rock.
In Florida, one person was pronounced dead Thursday after being trapped under a tree in their home following a tornado, Escambia County Public Information Officer Andie Gibson said.
City officials in Clearwater — about 500 miles southeast of Escambia County — said in an email that a waterspout came ashore Friday afternoon “sending beach-related items flying into the air” and injuring two people from Kansas.
Authorities said the 70-year-old woman and 63-year-old man were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital. Their identities were not made public.
Waterspouts develop over water, usually during severe thunderstorms or tornadoes and dissipate rapidly when they make landfall, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Some can cause significant damage and injuries.
Colin Sheeley, Austin Mullen, Juliette Arcodia and John Filippelli contributed.
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