Tornadoes rip through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas; at least 18 dead

At least 15 people, including two kids, have died as powerful storms ravaged the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas in the central US, destroying homes and plunging thousands into darkness amid rising temperatures over the Memorial Day weekend. Seven fatalities were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night ripped through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also caused damage in Oklahoma, where guests at an outdoor wedding were injured. "It's just a trail of debris left. The devastation is pretty severe," Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington said. The dead included two children, aged 2 and 5, and three members of a family, the sheriff said. A tornado tore apart houses and businesses, flipped mobile homes and knocked down trees and power lines. Areas near the community of Valley View were especially hard-hit. Sappington said 60 to 80 people were injured at a truck stop called the AP Travel Center on Inters

Tornadoes rip through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas; at least 18 dead
At least 15 people, including two kids, have died as powerful storms ravaged the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas in the central US, destroying homes and plunging thousands into darkness amid rising temperatures over the Memorial Day weekend. Seven fatalities were reported in Cooke County, Texas, near the Oklahoma border, where a tornado Saturday night ripped through a rural area near a mobile home park, officials said. Storms also caused damage in Oklahoma, where guests at an outdoor wedding were injured. "It's just a trail of debris left. The devastation is pretty severe," Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington said. The dead included two children, aged 2 and 5, and three members of a family, the sheriff said. A tornado tore apart houses and businesses, flipped mobile homes and knocked down trees and power lines. Areas near the community of Valley View were especially hard-hit. Sappington said 60 to 80 people were injured at a truck stop called the AP Travel Center on Inters