At least 19 people died as storms swept through the southern US

As of the morning of May 27 (local time), tornadoes sweeping through the Ozark plains and plateaus in the southern United States have killed at least 19 people in four states and destroyed hundreds of homes.

Meanwhile, weather experts warn of the risk of more complicated weather developments.

According to statistics from local emergency response agencies, at least eight people died in Arkansas, seven people died in Texas, two people in Kentucky and two people in Oklahoma.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said a powerful tornado that struck a community in the northern part of the state, near the Oklahoma border, on the evening of May 25 not only killed seven people but also injured nearly 100.

Also on the morning of May 27, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency in the state.

Meanwhile, the US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for many areas of Georgia and South Carolina until at least the same afternoon.

According to updated data on PowerOutage.us, a website that tracks power outages in the US, hundreds of thousands of people are facing power outages due to storms and tornadoes. In Kentucky alone, more than 180,000 people are in this situation.

The National Weather Service warns that further storms will move through the Ohio and Tennessee valleys, bringing strong winds, large hail and more tornadoes. Heavy rains also pose a risk of flash flooding.

The latest bout of extreme weather comes just days after a powerful tornado ripped through a rural Iowa town, killing four people. Last week, multiple tornadoes also hit Texas.

The United States is currently preparing for the Atlantic hurricane season, which will begin on June 1, which weather forecasters say will be "unusual."