At least 26 people have been killed after a series of tornadoes tore through towns and cities in the South and Midwest of the United States, reports the BBC.
Homes were destroyed and thousands left without power after huge storms caused devastation across Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama and Mississippi have all had fatalities. There have been more than 80 reported tornadoes since 31 March, according to the National Weather Service.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency in the state of Arkansas on Friday, with the national guard activated to help with recovery efforts.President Joe Biden has promised federal aid.
Reportedly, 26 people died in a rare twister in Mississippi. President Biden visited the state on Friday to pay his condolences.
Friday’s storms also led to the collapse of a theatre roof at a packed heavy metal gig in Belvidere, Illinois state, leading to one death and 28 injuries.
As storms continue to work their way east, hundreds of thousands of people are without power across several states. Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania are the worst affected, according to the US PowerOutage website.
