LIVE! Pak drone shot down at Rajasthan border my Su-30MKI

19:14  Pak drone shot down at Rajasthan border by Su-30MKI:  

JUST IN: At 11:30 am today a Sukhoi 30MKI shot down a Pakistani drone at the Bikaner Nal sector area of the border in Rajasthan.

The drone was detected by Indian Air Defence radar.

More details awaited.  — ANI

19:09  Challenges not over yet, keep your guard up: Pak Air chief tells PAF:  

Pakistan Air Force chief on Monday asked his officers to keep their ‘guard up’ as the challenges facing the country ‘are not over yet’, amid heightened tensions with India following the Pulwama terror attack and an aerial combat between the two forces.

Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan made the remarks during a visit to the forward operating bases (FOB), where he met combat and ground crew, air defence and engineering personnel, troops and civilian staff, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) spokesperson was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper.

Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad killed 41 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Kashmir on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage, the Indian Air Force carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

The next day, Pakistan retaliated with a large air formation, comprising 24 fighter jets, including F-16s.

“The challenges are not over yet, and we should keep our guards up and always be ready to respond to any aggression from the adversary,” Khan said, referring to the Indian air strikes in Balakot.

Recalling the shooting down of an Indian aircraft by PAF jets last week, the air chief said the entire nation is ‘proud of PAF, which did exceptionally well in safeguarding the sovereignty of our country in the recent conflict with the enemy’.

An Indian pilot was captured by the Pakistani forces.

The pilot returned to India from Pakistan on Friday to a hero’s welcome, nearly 60 hours after he was captured following a dogfight when his MiG 21 was shot down.

The move was seen as a step by Pakistan to de-escalate tensions with India, but the air chief instructed PAF personnel to not let their guards down.  — PTI

18:15  Pak won’t hesitate to use nuke in face of defeat, warns Amarinder:  

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday cautioned that Pakistan would not hesitate to use its nuclear arsenal if it felt it was losing out against India in a conventional battle.

Refusing to comment on the casualty figure in the Indian Air Force strikes on a terror camp in Balakot in Pakistan, Singh, who is a former army Captain, said, “Whether it was one killed or 100, the message had gone out loud and clear — India will not let the killing of its innocent soldiers and citizens go unpunished.”

He asserted that neither country could afford a full-scale war.

“Pakistan will not hesitate to use its nuclear arsenal if it felt it is losing out against India in a conventional war,” Singh told the media Amarinder.

Pointing out that both India and Pakistan were nuclear powers, he said it was not in either country’s interest to use the weapons of destruction but Islamabad could ‘indulge in such a misadventure if faced with defeat in other battles’.

The IAF strikes had proven India’s resolve to deal with the problem in the wake of the Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy, the CM said.

Noting that Pakistan was in a huge economic mess and had been ‘going around with a begging bowl and surviving on doles from other Islamic nations’, Singh said they could ‘ill-afford a full-fledged war with India’.

And though both were nuclear powered countries, Pakistan could act out of desperation to use its nuclear weapons if they found themselves cornered, he warned.  — PTI

18:06  Baijayant Jay Panda joins BJP:  Former Biju Janata Dal MP Baijayant Jay Panda joins Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhanin New Delhi.  — ANI

17:46  Pak minister says Masood Azhar is alive:  Punjab (Pakistan) Minister Fayyaz ul Hassan Chohan confirms Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is alive. “He is alive, Maulana Masood Azhar is alive, we have no information of his death,” the minister said. 

17:17  Cong sympathizing with Pak: BJP’s Naqvi on terror strikes:  Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Congress party accusing them of sympathizing with Pakistan after the Pulwama attack and aerial strikes that claimed the lives of several Indian soldiers.

“While the security forces are cracking down on terrorists and their sponsors; the Congress and its supporters are left “screaming’. Is it a coincidence or a jugalabandi? (partnership),” Naqvi said in a tweet accusing Congress of colluding with Pakistan. He further accused the Congress of raising questions on national security.

“Congress has become ‘Flop Show’ of ‘PVR’ (Priyanka, Vadra, Rahul). Raising questions on national security and creating ruckus on development of their own areas; Congress leaders are trying to act on a ‘Flop and Expired Script”,” he said.

Earlier today, citing international media reports of “no proof of militants being killed at Balakot”, Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday questioned BJP leaders how they could zero down on specific number of terrorists killed there and asked them not play politics with terror keeping Lok Sabha elections in mind.

“Your (BJP) ministers are saying ‘300 people have been killed’, ‘400 people have been killed’. Where did they get this information from or is it with a particular thought in mind that the Lok Sabha elections are around the corner, so they have to say that ‘x’ number of people have been killed?” said Sibal while speaking to ANI.

Sibal’s statement comes a day after Amit Shah said that over 250 terrorists were killed in the air strike carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF) against a terror camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot, Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. — ANI

16:22  BJD’s Jay Panda to join BJP today:  Former Biju Janata Dal leader Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda is join the Bhartiya Janta Party today. According to sources inside BJP, the former Lok Sabha MP from Kendrapara, will join the BJP in presence of president Amit Shah and union minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi. The development came after Panda met with Shah on Saturday. 

16:22  BJD’s Jay Panda to join BJP today:  Former Biju Janata Dal leader Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda is join the Bhartiya Janta Party today. According to sources inside BJP, the former Lok Sabha MP from Kendrapara, will join the BJP in presence of president Amit Shah and union minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi. The development came after Panda met with Shah on Saturday. 

16:13  Country celebrates Shivratri:  With the chants of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’ and ‘Har Har Mahadev,’ reverberating across temples in the country, devotees performed the morning rituals of Maha Shivratri on Monday.  

Long queues of Shiva lovers were seen at various temples to Him since the break of the dawn. Following the traditional rituals, people were seen offering bael leaves, milk and honey to ‘Shivling,’ an iconic representation of Shiva- one of the deities of Hindu triumvirate. 

This year’s Maha Shivratri  marks the closing day of the mega holy event Ardh Kumbh Mela. Thousands of pilgrims took the last of the holy dips at Prayagraj’s Sangam- a confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. 

15:01  Khashoggis body possibly burnt in oven at Saudi envoy’s residence:  US-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s body was possibly burned in an oven at Saudi consulate general’s residence, reported Al Jazeera.

An investigation by Al Jazeera into the assassination of the journalist also revealed that the burning of the outdoor furnace was monitored by the Turkish authorities.

Khashoggi was assassinated in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2 last year. 

Bags believed to be carrying his body parts were transferred to the Saudi Consul’s house situated a few hundred meters away, according to the report.

The worker who constructed the furnace stated that the furnace could withstand temperatures above 1000 degrees Celsius, and was built according to specifications from the Saudi consul.

Traces of Khashoggi’s blood were also found on the walls of the Saudi consul’s office.

According to the US intelligence agencies, the murder was enacted upon orders by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud. — ANI

14:44  Answers, please:  On point.

Nidhi Razdan on BJP prez Amit Shah putting a number to the deaths of terrorists in the Balakot air strike: “How does the BJP Pres know about terrorist casualties across the border? He is not a member of the Cabinet Committee on Security, he is not the Defence Minister. Is he being briefed by intelligence agencies? If so, in what capacity? Time for the GOI to come on record on casualties.”

14:33  PM slammed for joke on dyslexia :  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has faced severe backlash from the opposition and the general public alike, after he cracked a ‘joke’ on people with dyslexia at the expense of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, though neither were named.

The interaction was beamed live to thousands of students participating in a competition to find technology-driven solutions to tackle issues related to women and children.

At the video conference for ‘Smart India Hackathon 2019’ on Saturday night, a student told the Prime Minister about a program that could help dyslexic children who face reading and writing difficulties. The PM retorted with a guffaw, “Will this program work for a 40-50 year old child too?”

The question drew applause and laughter from students, and when the student remarked that it would help, the PM quipped, “Then that will make the mothers of such children very happy.” 

The PM’s remarks were criticised severely. 

Former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said, “Just came across a video of our @narendramodi taking political potshots using the name of dyslexic people. Shame on you Modi!!

You just can’t go below this. Your insensitivity can’t be washed away by dipping in any river. They may be slow in learning but not heartless like you.”

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury tweeted, “Shameful and distressing. Some of us have dyslexic or disabled relatives, friends, children and parents. Sattar saal mein pehli baar, a person with this crassness occupies the chair of the PM. Enough, Mr Modi. Yeh hain sanskar aapke?”

Poet Ranjit Hoskote tweeted, “Akbar, one of India’s most intellectually curious and acute rulers, was almost certainly dyslexic. This did not stop him from being a man of liberal, inclusive attitudes. Deeply interested in diverse religions, philosophies and literatures, he had books read to him every evening.”

Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha: The Prime Minister of India keeping it classy as ever. Cracking a joke about dyslexia to target a political opponent

Journalist Sagarika Ghose said, “How repugnant. A prime minister openly mocking dyslexia has to be an all time ethical low in political morality anywhere in the world, and this is apparently `New India?'” 

Congress leader Divya Spandana/Ramya You know whats bad? Not dyslexia, people who are insensitive – thats Modi for you.

Preeti Sharma Menon of the AAP, said, “God! When we thought @narendramodi cd not go any lower, he still manages to stoop.

As a parent I do not want my kid to listen to a speaker who’d use dyslexia as a slur and here our Prime Minister uses dyslexia to insult @RahulGandhi This is wrong on so many levels!!!”

13:38  Evidence of air strikes on Balakot at right time: Minister :  Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday said that the Centre would provide and release evidence of the Indian Air Force’s air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan at the appropriate time.Puri also called “illiterate and stupid” those who are demanding evidence of the air strikes and those leaders who thanked Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for releasing fighter pilot Abhindan Varthaman.Puri who was addressing  “Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat” programme in Kanpur told reporters that the “IAF targeted the locations in Pakistan because they were training ground for the terror groups and the ammunition used was precision guided and it is not upto us to tell them how many people were killed.”

“We have been repeatedly saying that Pakistan as a country uses its state for terror,” the Union Minister also said adding that relatives of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s chief Maulana Masood Azhar had come out and admitted that the Indian Air Force had hit their training bases.

After the strikes on Pakistani territory, Congress leader Digvijay Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee amongst others had asked for proof.

“Don’t become anti-nationals, don’t take out your hatred against Modi and BJP against the nation,” Puri asked political leaders who were raising questions about the strikes.

Puri also attacked Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and said, “He was playing pappi-jhappi politics in Pakistan when the Kartarpur corridor was opened.”

The Union Minister was referring to the hug that Siddhu gave Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa at Imran Khan’s swearing-in ceremony in Islamabad. Siddhu had then reportedly claimed that his hug was spontaneous reaction after hearing that the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor. — ANI

12:53  ‘Air strikes showed India will not tolerate terrorism’:  Ambassador Gautam Bambawale is one of India’s most accomplished and cerebral diplomats. As India’s high commissioner in Islamabad in 2016-2017, he dealt with Pakistan during three turbulent crises — the aftermath of the Pathankot terror attack, Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav’s arrest and after the Uri attack/surgical strike.

The ministry of external affairs then assigned the China specialist to Beijing where he served as our ambassador till he retired from the Indian Foreign Service last year.

His assessment — ‘India-China Relations: Doklam to Wuhan and Beyond’ — which Rediff.com proudly published on Saturday is a MUST READ.

What are India’s diplomatic options after last week’s air strikes? Can India isolate Pakistan on the global stage? Will China consent to supporting India’s resolution at the United Nations to outlaw the Jaish e Mohammad’s Masood Azhar a global terrorist? 

To secure his insights on these and other foreign policy issues vis-a-vis Pakistan, Rediff.com’s Archana Masih spoke to Ambassador Bambawale. 

Image: Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan.

12:47  Not IAF’s job to count human casualties: Air chief Dhanoa:  

Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa holds a press conference in Coimbatore. Excerpts:  

Casualties at Balakot: We don’t count human casualties, that is for the government to inform you. We can’t count how many people have died, it depends on how many people were there. 

On the The Mig-21 Bison used against Pak’s F16s: We fight with all aircraft in our inventory. The Mig-21 Bison is a capable aircraft, it has been upgraded, it has better radar, air-to air missiles and better weapons system. 

We have plans for inducting new aircraft; the Rafale should arrive in September. 

One is a planned operation in which you plan and carry out. But when an adversary does a strike on you, every available aircraft goes in, irrespective of which aircraft it is.  All aircraft are capable of fighting the enemy.

Whether Wing Commander Abhinandan is fit to fly: Whether he flies or not depends on his medical fitness. That’s why post ejection, he has undergone medical check. Whatever treatment required, will be given. Once we get his medical fitness, he will get into fighter cockpit.

11:59  The February 26 air strikes have not made India safer:  “The air strikes, admittedly, were significant in themselves because Indian planes crossed the Line of Control into Pakistan for the first time since the war of 1971. It showed that the IAF was capable of making a swift strike inside Pakistan and returning home safely. 

“That was cause for much celebration in India and seen as a just revenge for the attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14 that left 40 of its uniformed personnel dead.

“But that satisfaction apart, what did the strikes actually achieve? Did they manage to destroy the terror infrastructure in Pakistan? Did they kill the “mastermind’ of terror attacks? Will the death of 350-odd terrorists lead to more revenge attacks in India? Did the strikes make India safer? The lack of answers only adds to the sense of dread.”

11:47  Not worthy of Nobel Peace Prize: Imran Khan :  Pakistan PM Imran Khan has said that the person who solves the Kashmir issue according to the wishes of the Kashmiri people and paves the way for peace and human development in the sub-continent will be worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize.

In a tweet today after Pakistanis came out in support of Imran Khan demanding the Nobel Peace Prize for releasing the IAF pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, the Pak PM said that he is not worthy of the prize.

11:32  Proud to wear army fatigues: Manoj Tiwari:  BJP MP and Delhi Chief Manoj Tiwari reacts to flak on wearing army fatigues at a party rally in Delhi on March 2: “From time to time, I wear armed forces caps, t-shirts, I feel proud to wear it, to respect the armed forces is patriotism. The people of the country are proud to wear it.”

11:30  Generous Indians donate for slain CRPF jawans:  In Bharuch notes showered on singers at a charity event held to collect funds for the family of CRPF soldiers who lost their lives in the Pulwama attack. The singer didn’t charge money for his performance. 

11:20  Pak restores Samjhauta Express services to Delhi:  Pakistani authorities on Monday restored the Samjhauta Express services between Lahore and Delhi, days after the train was suspended due to tense bilateral ties. The train departs on Monday and Thursday from Lahore. The Samjhauta Express carrying some 150 passengers left Lahore railway station for India, Radio Pakistan reported.

The train, named after the Hindi word “agreement”, comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach. The train service was started on July 22, 1976 under the Shimla Agreement that settled the 1971 war between the two nations. PTI

11:00  ‘India committed to peace, but will use all our might to protect nation’:  

President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said India is committed to peace but will use all our might to protect the nation if the need arises. 

He said the countrys valour was on display when, on February 26, the Indian Air Force conducted pre-emptive air strikes on a terrorist camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, Pakistan.

Kovind, the Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, was speaking in Tamil Nadu, where he was awarding the Presidents Colours to Air Force Station, Hakimpet, and 5 Base Repair Depot at the Air Force Station, Sulur.

India remains firmly committed to peace, but in case the need arises, we will use all our might to protect the nation, the President said. Our Armed Forces reflect our resolve. This valour was on display very recently, as the IAF carried out preemptive strikes on a terrorist camp.

Indian Air Force has over the years grown into a modern, technology-intensive force distinguished by its commitment to excellence and professionalism. IAF continues to modernise in a rapid manner and is in the process of a very comprehensive modernisation plan, he added.

Presidents Colours is among the highest honours bestowed upon an Air Force Unit or Squadron in recognition of its exceptional services to the nation, both during war and in peace.

10:15  4 killed in coal mine mishap in Nagaland:  

Four miners have been killed following mudslides at an illegal coal mine at Yonglok village in Longleng district of Nagaland, police said on Monday.

  

The incident happened on Saturday when the four victims, all from Assam, had gone to the abandoned mine to collect their belongings.

They reportedly got stuck inside the open-cast mine on the Assam-Nagaland border following mudslides, police said.

The mine was recently shut down following a state government order banning illegal coal mining and a provisional ban on licensed mining activity, police said.

The victims, hailing from upper Assam, have been identified as Jiten Tanti, Krishna Gogoi, Tutu Deka and Shushan Phukon.

The post-mortem was not done on the bodies at the request of the victims’ families. The bodies were delivered to the families after an undertaking.

The Nagaland incident has occurred within three months of the Meghalaya mine tragedy in which 15 miners were trapped in an illegal rat-hole mine in East Jaintia Hills district. Rescuers have been able to retrieve only two highly decomposed bodies from the quarry.

— PTI

09:48  Congress blasts Amit Shah for saying 250 terrorists killed in Balakot strike:  

Congress leader Manish Tewari accused Amit Shah on Monday of using India’s airstrikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed for political gain, pointing to the BJP president’s claim that more that 250 terrorists were killed in the operation.

Made furious by a suicide bombing that killed 40 of its paramilitary personnel, India said last week it had carried out a pre-emptive strike on Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot, located in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. A ministry of external affairs statement made on the same day said a large number of terrorists had been eliminated.

Later, the Indian Air Force said there was evidence that its jets had hit their intended targets but that it was premature to assess casualties.

Manish Tewari referred to the IAF’s description of what unfolded in Balakot when he asked, of Amit Shah’s remarks: “Is this not milking airstrikes for politics?”

He tweeted, “AVM RGK Kapoor said “it would be premature to say that what is the number of casualties that we have been able to inflict on those camps and what is the number of deaths,” BUT @AmitShah says over 250 Terrorists killed in airstrike. Is this not milking Air Strikes for Politics????”

P Chidambaram, also a top Congress leader, asked who put out the number of casualties at 300-350.

Chidambaram said it was the political party behind the government which had fed the news that over 300 or 350 jihadis had been killed. He also praised the Air Force and the MEA for what he said were restrained statements.

“As a proud citizen I am prepared to believe my government. But if we want the world to believe, government must make the effort, not indulge in Opposition-bashing,” Chidambaram tweeted on Monday.

09:35  Pakistan violates ceasefire in Akhnoor sector:  

Pakistan on Monday violated ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor sector.

Firing from across the border started at 3 am and stopped at 6:30 am. Indian Army retaliated effectively.

Further details are currently awaited.

Last week Pakistan had violated ceasefire several times in Nowshera, Mendhar and Krishna Ghati sectors in Rajouri district, Gawahalan, Chokas, Kiker and Kathi posts in the Uri sector and Poonch.

— ANI

09:21  Manoj Tiwari dons military fatigues at party rally, draws flak:  

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari has drawn flak for attending a party rally in military fatigues.

 

Tiwari flagged off a BJP bike rally in the Yamuna Vihar area in his North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday wearing military fatigues.

Drawing flak, Tiwari tweeted on Sunday, “I wore (it) simply because I felt proud of my Army. I am not in Indian army but I was expressing my feeling of solidarity. Why should it be treated like an insult? I have the highest regard for our Army. By (this) logic, tomorrow if I wear a Nehru Jacket, will it be an insult to Jawaharlal Nehru?”

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said it was a “shameless act” on Tiwari’s part.

“Shameless. Shameless. Shameless. Manoj Tewari BJP MP and Delhi President wearing Armed Forces uniform and seeking votes. BJP-Modi-Shah insulting and politicising our jawans. And then giving lectures on patriotism. Low life,” he tweeted, targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah.

— PTI

09:06  Jaish chief Masood Azhar is ‘not dead’, says Pak media report:  

India’s most wanted terrorist and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar is “alive”, a Pakistani media report said on Sunday, quoting unnamed sources close to his family.

The media reports claiming that JeM leader is dead are false, Geo Urdu News reported.

The report came amid speculation on social media that JeM founder has died.

However, there was no official confirmation.

Quoting unnamed sources close to the family of the JeM chief, the channel said Azhar is “alive”, without elaborating on his health condition.

There was no official word on Azhar’s fate from the Pakistan government.

“I don’t know anything at this moment,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said, when asked about media reports claiming death of Azhar.

A resident of Bahawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab province, Azhar formed the Jaish-e-Mohammed in 2000.

The 50-year-old Azhar, who was released by the National Democratic Alliance government in 1999 in exchange of hostages of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane IC-814, has been accused of being the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attack, suicide attack on Jammu and Kashmir state assembly, attack on the Pathankot IAF base and the latest Pulwama terror strike.

08:21  Cong’s Khurshid says Abhinandan ‘matured’ as fighter pilot under UPA, draws flak:  

Former union minster and Congress leader Salman Khurshid said IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman earned his flying badge in 2004 and “matured” as a fighter pilot during the UPA rule, remarks which attracted criticism on the social media.

 

“Many kudos for Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the face of India’s resistance to enemy aggression. Great poise and confidence in face of adversity. We are proud that he received his wings in 2004 and matured as fighter pilot during UPA,” Khurshid tweeted.

After attracting criticism on the social media for “taking credit”, Khurshid on Sunday said that he had only “stated the truth”.

“I had said that he (the pilot) joined the IAF during our tenure. I had only stated the truth,” he told reporters.

After being held in captivity for nearly 60 hours, Wing Commander Abhinandan was released by Pakistan and handed over to India at the Attari-Wagah border on Friday night.

Days after Pulwama attack of February 14, which left 40 CRPF personnel dead, the Indian Air Force carried out an air strike at Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp inside Pakistan. 

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to bomb Indian military installations on Wednesday morning. The attempt was foiled by the Indian Air Force. In an ensuing dogfight, Varthaman’s MiG-21 was shot down after he brought down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet.

— PTI

07:53  Tornado kills 14 in US state of Alabama:  

A tornado killed 14 people and caused “catastrophic” damage in the southern US state of Alabama on Sunday, a local sheriff said.

“At this time, we have 14 confirmed fatalities,” Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said in a video posted on Facebook by a journalist from a local CBS affiliate.

Other people have been hospitalised, some with “very serious injuries”, while the search is still continuing for more who are missing, he said.

Jones described the damage caused by the storm as “catastrophic, based on the destruction of homes that we’ve seen”. The swath of destruction caused by the storm was a quarter mile (0.4 kilometres) wide and stretched for the “several miles that it travelled on the ground”, according to Jones.

While the sheriff referred to a single storm, some US media outlets reported that multiple twisters had hit the county.