2 Killed, 1 Missing as Severe Weather Outbreak Hits South, Plains

Pam Wright and Sean Breslin
Published: May 30,2017
Two people died and one remains missing following a severe weather outbreak that hammered the Plains and South over the holiday weekend.
Officials confirmed to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that Antonio Finley, 37, and Kaliea Munn, 17, of Nashville, Arkansas, were found dead after a vehicle in which they were traveling was swept away by floodwaters Saturday night in Branson, Missouri. Whitney McDonald, 31, who was driving the vehicle, remains missing, the report added. They were in Branson for a youth basketball tournament, the Democrat-Gazette also said.
"That particular creek had never flooded that quickly, that high before is what we were told by officials down there," National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Griffin told the Democrat-Gazette.
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Meanwhile, crews continued work Tuesday to restore power to tens of thousands in the Memphis area. According to the Associated Press, some 188,000 homes and businesses lost power in the wake of the storms, and about 60,000 Memphis Light, Gas and Water customers remained powerless Tuesday morning. The power company's president, Jerry Collins, said it was the third-largest outage in the city's history, and it will take more than a week to completely restore service.
The casket of a 6-year-old boy who was recently laid to rest was found floating in water above ground in a Memphis cemetery following the storms, Fox 13 Memphis reported. The mother of Ashton Mackey said she was devastated to make the discovery as she and her family went to visit the grave site Monday.
"I'm not going to be able to sleep," Alicia Mackey told Fox 13 Memphis. "I already have nightmares. I don't sleep. This is sad. I need to see him back like he was, up under there."

Storms Leave Damage in Mid-South

Softball-sized hail clobbered parts of Missouri Saturday afternoon as severe thunderstorms were underway in the Ozarks.
According to the National Weather Service, a confirmed radar-indicated tornado was reported near Twin Bridges, Missouri, but there were no reports of major damage or injuries.
Another suspected tornado was reported near Falcon, Missouri, and emergency management reported damage from another possible tornado near Laclede. Later in the evening, another tornado was reported near Welty, Oklahoma, a town located south of Interstate 44 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. There were no notable reports of damage with that reported tornado.
Photos posted to social media showed hailstones ranging in size from marbles to grapefruits near Adrian, Missouri, in Bates County.
There have also been reports of downed power lines in Henry County as winds gusted to 70 mph, while in Gravois Mills, significant damage to roofs and other structures was reported.
More than 25,000 homes and businesses were without power in the Show Me State Saturday night. In Branson, storm shelters were set up ahead of time for campers during the holiday weekend, KY3.com reported.
In Miami County, Kansas, there were reports of damaged fences and downed power lines near U.S. 69 and 223rd Street, according to KMBC.com.
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Numerous trees were downed in Creal Springs, Illinois. Additional damage was reported in the town of Jonesboro.
Lightning struck a tree in Clay City, Kentucky, Saturday afternoon, which subsequently fell on a home, according to the NWS. Some 20,000 customers lost power statewide Saturday night.
Flooding was also a problem in Kentucky Saturday evening. Roads were covered in flood water in the town of Campbellsville, and a mudslide was reported in Clementsville. As a result, a flash flood emergency was issued and parts of Highway 70 were closed.
In Carter County, Kentucky, one home was threatened by a rockslide that closed a road, according to Lex18.com. A crew sent to intercept the rockslide was successful, but the family was urged to go elsewhere for the night, the report added.

Large Hail Damages Cars in Virginia

Another line of storms marched through Virginia Saturday evening, where large hail punched through car windows in the Richmond area.
Hail as large as hen eggs fell in Richmond during the storms, according to a report from the NWS. On social media, residents shared images of vehicle damage from the large hail, while others posted videos of the big hailstones bouncing off the ground as they fell.
It was not immediately known if the hailstorm injured anyone in the Richmond area.

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