Scenes from a Shell gas station and travel stop on I-35 at the Lone Oak exit near Valley View, Texas, on Sunday, May 26, 2024.
Scenes from a Shell gas station and travel stop on I-35 at the Lone Oak exit near Valley View, Texas, on Sunday, May 26, 2024.
Children were among the seven deaths reported in Texas after a tornado hit a travel stop and RV park. Officials have also confirmed at least eight storm related deaths in Arkansas, two in Oklahoma and two in Kentucky.

At least 19 people were killed during a severe weather outbreak over Memorial Day weekend that brought tornadoes and tennis-ball-sized hail and knocked out power to thousands across the southern Plains overnight on Saturday.

The worst of the storm hit in the overnight hours when at least 20 tornadoes were seen by radar or in person across the region, according to the FOX Forecast Center. Storm damage was reported in Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The National Weather Service reported that a long-track, supercell thunderstorm spawned multiple tornadoes.

Some of the most devastating damage in Texas happened outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington said in a news conference that seven people were killed and more than 100 were injured. The sheriff said that two children were among the dead.

This is the deadliest tornado in Texas state history since 2015. The NWS gave it a preliminary rating of EF-2 with 135 mph winds. Another tornado that devastated Montague County was also rated a preliminary EF-2.



Multiple people were injured at a travel center and Shell gas station off Interstate 35 near Valley View, where dozens of people sought shelter during the tornado.

Denton County officials said a tornado moved into the northern part of the county late Saturday, damaging homes, flipping RVs and ripping down power lines in the area.


Major damage was reported at Lake Ray Roberts Marina and RVs.

The Denton Fire Department said multiple victims were trapped in the property above, and major damage was reported along the Denton-Cooke county line.

An 18-wheeler overturned on I-35, taking down power lines and stopping traffic for several hours, county officials said.

A lone supercell, which was part of the severe storms, started in northeastern Oklahoma and continued along the Missouri-Arkansas state line, causing widespread damage along its path.

In northeastern Oklahoma, two people were killed and others were injured after a tornado hit Mayes County, according to emergency management officials. The NWS survey team analyzing the damage rated it a preliminary EF-3.

Mayes County Emergency Management Director Johnny Janzen said the majority of the damage was near East 427 and West 470 Road.

Officials have confirmed at least eight storm-related deaths in Arkansas.

At least one possible tornado and wind gusts over 60 mph caused damage in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Benton County Judge Barry Moehring said in a news conference that officials have confirmed multiple injuries on the east side of the county and at least one death.

The Baxter County Sheriff's Office said one person died during the severe weather, and multiple others were injured.

The NWS rated the tornado that damaged Boon County an EF-3.

Harrison city officials said a young woman was killed when a possible tornado touched down in the Bellefonte area and crossed Highway 65 before destroying homes in the Olvey area. Other injuries were reported from the damaged homes.

The Sheriff's Office in Marion County, Arkansas, said two people died as a result of the storms.

Officials in multiple cities said Black Hills Energy has been responding to gas leak calls in Arkansas after the storm. Customers who smell natural gas are being told to leave their homes immediately and call 911.

On Sunday morning, more than 300,000 people in five states were without power, with the majority of outages in Missouri and Arkansas.

In Kentucky, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg confirmed one death along with injuries and several buildings with structural damage following Saturday night's storms. Another person was killed in Mercer County, Kentucky, during a separate round of severe weather Sunday night when a tree fell onto a house, according to Mercer County Emergency Management Director Brad Cox; the other occupant of the house was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared emergency zones in five counties. Texas Governor Greg Abbot issued disaster emergencies across four counties.