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Tornado outbreak live updates: 40 dead in cross-country storm system

A new tornado watch was issued Sunday for parts of West Virginia, Ohio and PA.

ByNadine El-Bawab, Ivan Pereira, Jack Moore, Bill Hutchinson, and Leah Sarnoff
Last Updated: March 16, 2025, 8:34 PM EDT

Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

The same storm system delivered raging winds to the Plains states earlier, leading to wildfires and severe dust storms that left more than a dozen people dead in Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.

Overall, at least 40 deaths have been recorded from the cross-country storm system.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Mar 16, 2025, 6:33 PM EDT

3 missing in Mississippi storm found alive

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves shared a storm update Sunday afternoon after signing a state of emergency declaration Saturday night.

The governor said preliminary information shows as many as 12 tornadoes could have ripped through the state in the cross-country storm.

The storm left six dead and 27 injured in Mississippi, but the three people reported missing were found alive, Reeves said.

Twenty-three counties in the state are reporting damage and 12 filed emergency requests, the governor said.

-ABC News' Darren Reynolds

Mar 16, 2025, 5:55 PM EDT

White House deploys National Guard to Arkansas

President Donald Trump took to his social media platform on Sunday to say that the White House is monitoring the spate of tornadoes and storms impacting the Midwest and South.

Thirty-seven people have been killed in the cross-country storm system, according to officials.

Trump said the National Guard has been deployed to Arkansas.

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One as he departs from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, Mar. 14, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

"My Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage," Trump wrote.

"Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!" the president added.

-ABC News' Hannah Demissie

Mar 16, 2025, 5:26 PM EDT

EF-4 tornado confirmed in Arkansas

An EF-4-rated tornado -- the strongest of this multi-day, severe weather outbreak -- has been confirmed in Diaz, Arkansas, according to officials.

Preliminary information showed the twister had an estimated peak winds of 190 mph.

The last EF-4 tornado to impact the area was in December 2021.

-ABC News' Daniel Peck

Mar 16, 2025, 4:18 PM EDT

14 homes damaged in Paulding County, Georgia

At least 14 homes were damaged by falling trees during an intense storm Sunday in Paulding County, Georgia, authorities said.

The storm packing high winds struck along Route 61, uprooting numerous trees, Paulding County Sheriff Ashley Henson said in a video statement posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon.

In a Facebook statement, March 16, 2025, Paulding County, Georgia, Sheriff Ashley Henson said 14 homes were damaged by falling trees from an intense storm.
Paulding County Sheriff

At least one tornado is suspected to have touched down in Plauding County, Henson said.

"Right now we know there are 14 homes that have been impacted by trees either on them or in them," Henson said.

Henson said no injuries have been reported.

The sheriff said an electrical transmission line was also damaged and about 12,000 utility customers in Paulding County were without electricity.

ABC News' Victoria Arancio

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