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At least 40 people have died as severe storms and tornadoes swept through the South and Midwest over the weekend. The storms, which spawned more than 40 tornadoes across eight states, caused widespread destruction, leaving homes, businesses, and schools in ruins. Missouri reported the highest number of fatalities, with 12 deaths due to scattered twisters and thunderstorms.
In Alabama, three people died, including an 82-year-old woman, as tornadoes tore through the state. Mississippi reported six fatalities, with three people still missing, according to Governor Tate Reeves. Arkansas confirmed three deaths, and Oklahoma reported one death from wildfires exacerbated by high winds.
The storms also caused massive power outages, with more than 300,000 people affected over the weekend. As of Sunday, nearly 150,000 remained without power in Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, and Tennessee.
The National Weather Service confirmed multiple tornadoes in Alabama and Missouri, with some reaching EF3 strength. The tornadoes and high winds also led to dust storms in Kansas, resulting in a 50-car pileup on Interstate 70 that claimed eight lives.
The storm system is expected to continue moving east, impacting parts of the East Coast, including Pennsylvania and the Carolinas. States of emergency have been declared in several affected areas, and recovery efforts are underway.
While the worst of the storms have passed, there remains a slight risk of severe thunderstorms in parts of the Lower Great Lakes, Central Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and the Southeast. The storms are expected to move over the Atlantic Ocean by Monday.
