Over a dozen people have died, including 11 in Missouri, after deadly tornadoes tore through multiple states, bringing damaging winds that flipped cars and flattened homes.
The other deaths occurred in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, where three people were killed in a car crash during a fierce dust storm.
More than 200,000 people are without power across five states — Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Texas and Arkansas, according to Poweroutage.us.
More severe weather was on the horizon for many of these areas on Saturday, with tornado watches issued in central Mississippi, eastern Louisiana and western Tennessee.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned of “multiple intense to violent long-track tornadoes” in these areas and called it a “particularly dangerous situation” on X.
“If you live in these areas, get to the sturdiest structure you have access to and remain in place until the storms pass.”
Flash flooding and flood warnings were also issued in the same three states and also in parts of Alabama and Arkansas, as severe weather continues to track across the south east.
A tornado warning – the highest level threat – was also issued in central Mississippi on Saturday morning.
Residents were warned in all caps to “take cover now” and cautioned about flying debris.
After tornadoes swept through on Friday, Missouri State Highway Patrol said in a statement on X: “The Patrol and local agencies are working tirelessly to assist those in need and assess the damage.”
In Texas and Oklahoma, the destructive storms fuelled more than 100 wildfires and overturned several semi-trailer trucks, according to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
One of those fires, known as the 840 Road Fire, has already burned 27,500 acres and remains 0% contained, according to the Oklahoma Forestry Service. The agency has issued a “red flag” warning for the Panhandle, signaling extreme fire danger.
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