USA —In a series of tumultuous events, nature has unleashed its fury across different parts of the United States, leaving a trail of destruction and hardship.
A major Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in North Carolina was heavily damaged by a tornado, while torrential rain wreaked havoc in Kentucky, and scorching heat engulfed an area spanning from California to South Florida.
The devastating tornado struck the Pfizer manufacturing complex near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, causing significant damage to the massive buildings and tossing about large quantities of vital medicines.
Nash County Sheriff Keith Stone reported that an estimated 50,000 pallets of medicine were strewn across the facility due to the relentless rain and wind unleashed by the twister.
Fortunately, Pfizer confirmed that all its employees were safely evacuated and accounted for, and there were no reports of serious injuries.
The Pfizer plant plays a crucial role in producing anesthesia and various drugs, including nearly 25% of Pfizer’s sterile injectables used in hospitals across the United States.
With this major pharmaceutical facility now damaged, experts are concerned that the already-strained drug supplies at U.S. hospitals could face even more pressure.
The National Weather Service classified the tornado as an EF3 with wind speeds reaching up to 150 mph (240 kph), indicating its destructive power.
The impact extended beyond the Pfizer plant, with reports of injuries and damages in nearby Edgecombe and Nash Counties.
Meanwhile, in other parts of the country, the relentless heatwave showed no signs of abating. Phoenix, Arizona, experienced a record-breaking warm low temperature, signaling a heightened risk of heat-related illnesses for residents struggling to find relief from the scorching temperatures.
Heat-related deaths in Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located, have been on the rise, highlighting the urgent need for measures to protect vulnerable populations during such extreme weather events.
On the opposite side of the country, Kentucky battled flash flooding, leading to dangerous conditions in Mayfield and Wingo communities.
The situation became so dire that Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in the affected areas.
Meteorologists warned of more heavy rainfall, posing a significant threat to communities along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
As climate change continues to exert its influence, experts point out that human activities, combined with a newly formed El Nino, are contributing to record-breaking heat and extreme rainfall events globally.
Heat records have been shattered across the globe, and the Southwest United States is no exception, grappling with unrelenting temperatures.
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