Destructive tornadoes rake across US; severe warning issued in Alabama, Mississippi and these states: 10 points

Dozens of destructive tornadoes touched down on severe weather lashed the Midwest and South of the United States on Wednesday evening. More than 13 million Americans were under tornado watch, the National Weather Service said.

Intense and violent tornadoes have destroyed houses and farms in Missouri and Arkansas, as well as toppling a radio tower in Indiana, reports CNN.

Tornado warnings in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois: 10 points

-Violent storms cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least one person, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes.


-At least 19 tornadoes struck on Wednesday, destroying homes and businesses, injuring at least eight people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands. That was just "the beginning of a multi-day catastrophic and potentially historic heavy rainfall event", the NWS said.

-Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi as storms hit those and other states in the evening.

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-At least one person was killed in southeast Missouri, KFVS-TV reported, while part of a warehouse collapsed in a suburb of Indianapolis, temporarily trapping at least one person inside. In northeast Arkansas a rare tornado emergency was issued as debris flew thousands of feet in the air, according to AP.

-The coming days were also forecast to bring the risk of potentially deadly flash flooding to the South and Midwest as severe thunderstorms blowing eastward become supercharged. The potent storm system will bring "significant, life-threatening flash flooding" each day through Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

- The National Weather Service said parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Texas were under a high risk of severe thunderstorms on Thursday, warning of more tornadoes, hail, and life-threatening flooding.

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-The Storm Prediction Center said "multiple long-track EF3+ tornadoes" were likely. Tornadoes of that magnitude are among the strongest in intensity, according to AP.

-Climate change is making extreme rainfall more likely. It has intensified hourly rainfall rates in nearly 90% of large US cities since 1970, a recent study found.

-A tornado watch is in effect for parts of northern Alabama, eastern Kentucky, northern Mississippi and central Tennessee until 6 a.m. C.T. Thursday, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Nearly 6 million people are impacted by the watch, which includes Nashville, Tennessee, and Tupelo, Mississippi.

-Cities and regions where tornado watches and warnings have been issued on Wednesday are: Oklahoma, Owasso, Arkansas, Missouri and Illinois.

(With inputs from agencies)