At least 40 people have died after tornadoes struck the US Midwest and South.
Missouri was heavily impacted by the tornadoes, which began on Friday. The state reported at least 12 fatalities.
In Texas and Kansas, strong winds created dust storms, leading to multiple vehicle crashes and a dozen deaths.
The severe weather, affecting an area home to over 100 million people, also sparked nearly 150 wildfires in Oklahoma. There were deaths in Arkansas, Alabama, and Mississippi as well. Flood warnings were issued in parts of Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina.
Over 320,000 people were without power by Sunday evening, according to PowerOutageUS.
States of emergency were declared in Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe described the damage as “staggering,” noting that hundreds of homes, schools, and businesses were destroyed or severely damaged.
In Butler County, Missouri, a tornado destroyed a home, leaving it “unrecognizable,” according to local coroner Jim Akers, who described the scene as “just a debris field” where “the floor was upside down.”
In Oklahoma, nearly 150 wildfires, fueled by winds reaching 83mph (133km/h), overturned multiple trucks. The state’s medical examiner reported at least four deaths due to the fires or high winds. The fires burned 170,000 acres and destroyed nearly 300 buildings, including a farmhouse owned by Governor Kevin Stitt.
In Kansas, a dust storm caused a pile-up of over 55 vehicles, killing at least eight people. In Texas, another dust storm led to a 38-car crash, leaving at least four dead.
Tornadoes in Mississippi killed six people, while in Alabama, three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed by twisters.
In Arkansas, officials confirmed three deaths and 29 injuries.
President Donald Trump announced the deployment of the National Guard to assist in Arkansas. He also asked people to pray for those affected by the storms.
