A series of severe storms and tornadoes have ravaged several states in the southern US, resulting in losses of life, widespread damage, and thousands of residents without power.
US states including Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi have been particularly affected by the latest storm cells as devastating tornadoes have left a path of chaos and destruction in their wake.
One of the hardest-hit areas is the town of Perryton in the Texas Panhandle. A powerful tornado tore through the town, leaving three people dead and dozens injured. The tornado wreaked havoc on mobile home communities and inflicted extensive damage on the downtown area.
A preliminary reading by officials with the National Weather Service has suggested the Thursday tornado registered as an EF-2, which carries a windspeed between 111 and 135 miles per hour.
First responders from nearby towns and even neighboring Oklahoma swiftly descended upon Perryton to assist with rescue and recovery efforts. The town with a population oof ver 8,000 residents, was left reeling from the aftermath, with shattered homes and buildings scattered amidst piles of rubble.
"The tornado went right down our Main Street," James Myers, a teacher in Perryton, told local media.
"It really rattled off very roughly on some neighborhoods and on some businesses down there. On the Northeast side of town there are businesses with everything destroyed."
Another resident told the outlet that the scene looked as if "a bomb had gone off."
Elsewhere, the destructive storms also claimed lives in Escambia County, Florida, where a person was killed when a tornado caused a tree to fall on their home. A man in Canton, Mississippi, was also killed after a tree collapsed onto his carport during the stormy weather.
As communities grapple with the aftermath of the tornadoes, they must now also brace themselves for extreme heat wave conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings of excessive heat in southern Texas and parts of coastal Louisiana. Temperatures are expected to skyrocket, reaching as high as the 110s, presenting a 15-25 degree anomaly for this time of year.
Residents are being urged to take necessary precautions:
staying hydrated
seeking shelter in air-conditioned spaces
regularly check on relatives and neighbors, especially the elderly and vulnerable
Recovery efforts in the affected areas are now in full swing. Utility crews are working tirelessly to restore power to the thousands of residents who remain without electricity.
While local authorities are assessing the extent of the damage and providing support to those affected, communities are rallying together, demonstrating resilience and compassion in the face of the natural disaster.