At least 31 people have died in the US, including 12 in Missouri, after deadly tornadoes struck several southeastern states, flipping cars and flattening homes.
In Kansas, eight people were killed when more than 55 vehicles were involved in a crash caused by a dust storm.
Over 170,000 properties were left without power across five states, including Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois, on Saturday evening, according to PowerOutage tracker.
Severe weather is expected to continue in the region, with tornado watches issued across eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee, and the western Florida Panhandle.
Flash flooding and flood warnings have been issued for central Mississippi, eastern Louisiana, western Tennessee, and parts of Alabama and Arkansas, as storms continue to move across the southeast. The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that these flash floods could be deadly.
Tornado warnings were also issued for Alabama on Saturday night, with the NWS describing the situation as “particularly dangerous” due to “multiple intense to violent long-track tornadoes.”
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe said the state had been “devastated” by the storms, which destroyed homes and claimed lives. Initial reports indicated that 19 tornadoes had hit 25 counties in Missouri.
In Arkansas, three people died, and 29 others were injured, prompting Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders to declare a state of emergency.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp also declared a state of emergency, while Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt confirmed one death in his state.
A dust storm in Texas on Friday night caused a pile-up of about 38 cars, resulting in three deaths. Sgt. Cindy Barkley of the state’s Department of Public Safety described it as “the worst I’ve ever seen,” adding that the pile-up was not apparent until the dust settled. Another death has since been reported in Texas.
