Storms upending Memorial Day weekend leaves at least 18 dead, thousands without power

(The Hill) – Severe storms hit parts the U.S. over Memorial Day weekend, leaving at least 18 people dead and injuring hundreds.

The storms hit worst in parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas before moving east.

There were several deaths reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border after a tornado swept through a rural area near a mobile home park Saturday, The Associated Press reported.

Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) said there were two children, ages 2 and 5, among the dead. About 100 people were injured and more than 200 homes and structures were destroyed. Wind gusts in the Valley View community reached an estimated 135 mph, according to officials.

“The hopes and dreams of Texas families and small businesses have literally been crushed by storm after storm,” Abbott said.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-Ark.) said Sunday evening that eight people died from the storms in Arkansas. Two deaths were attributed to circumstances of the storm but not directly from the weather, since one person suffered a heart attack and another lost oxygen after losing electricity.

Other deaths in Arkansas included a 26-year-old woman found inside a destroyed home in Boone County, officials said. One person died in Benton County and two more died in Marion County, per records.

In Oklahoma, two people died in Mayes County, officials said.

A Louisville, Ky., man was killed when a tree fell on him, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg confirmed.

Tens of thousands of residents were also without power in the central region of the country, with Kentucky having the most outages. As of Monday morning, more than 100,000 residents were without power in the Blue Grass State, according to poweroutage.us.

The National Weather services predicted that thunderstorms, frequent lightning, severe wind gusts, hail and a few tornadoes would hit parts of the midwest.

The Associated Press contributed.

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