Teen Dead After Line of Tornadoes Hits Four States

Among the dead is one teen who was killed when a tree fell through her bedroom.

ByABC News via logo
May 2, 2008, 11:45 AM

May 2, 2008 — -- Nineteen tornadoes swept through four Midwestern states overnight, leaving at least seven people dead, according to The Associated Press, and a string of damage to homes and buildings.

A 15-year-old girl in the northwest Arkansas town of Siloam Springs died when a tree fell through the bedroom where she was sleeping, according to The Associated Press.

Police say a 10-year-old boy was rescued from the same room and taken to an area hospital, where he was in good condition and expected to be released.

The line of storms extended through Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas and is moving toward Illinois, where thunderstorm watches are in effect.

Storm chasers and residents caught video of storms in Kansas and other areas worthy of the "Wizard of Oz."

Hurricane-force winds, hail and heavy rain moving through Missouri left hundreds of Kansas City-area homes and businesses damaged and some destroyed.

No serious injuries have been reported. About 40,000 customers were without power across the metro area, Kansas City Power & Light reported.

Authorities in Oklahoma were assessing damage today after two rounds of severe thunderstorms raked across parts of the state. The first round of storms produced at least two tornadoes Thursday night, causing some damage but no injuries.

The National Weather Service said a trained spotter saw a tornado touch down in central Arkansas as a series of storms began rolling through the state. More than 5,000 customers of Entergy Arkansas lost power. No injuries have been reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.