Severe storms and tornadoes in the US kill at least 33 people

Severe storms and tornadoes swept through several central and southern US states on March 15, killing at least 33 people, injuring dozens and causing serious damage, US officials said.

Severe tornadoes and dust storms affected several states, with Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas suffering the most damage, according to the US National Weather Service.

Specifically, in the state of Missouri (central US), at least 12 people were killed by tornadoes. Images from the scene showed many houses flattened, trees felled and infrastructure destroyed.

Kansas reports eight deaths in a pileup caused by a dust storm in Sherman County.

The accident involved more than 50 vehicles, causing serious traffic congestion on the highway.

The governor of Mississippi announced 6 people were dead and 3 people were missing as of the evening of March 15 local time.

In the southern state of Arkansas, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a state of emergency after storms and tornadoes killed three people and injured 29. Rescue teams are working to clean up the damage and assist affected residents.

In Texas, at least four people were killed in traffic accidents caused by severe weather conditions. Strong winds also sparked more than 150 wildfires in neighboring Oklahoma, forcing authorities to evacuate many areas.

According to poweroutage.us, a website that tracks power outages across the United States, at least 200,000 homes and businesses across the United States were without power as of the evening of March 15 local time. Meanwhile, strong winds caused many serious wildfires.

Severe weather including strong tornadoes and large hail is expected to continue in the coming days, especially in southern areas such as Mississippi and Tennessee.