The Missouri State Highway Patrol confirmed the deaths of 12 people in Ozark, Butler, Wayne, and Jefferson counties.
According to CBS News, 8 people died as a result of car accidents during a dust storm in Kansas, citing the state's Department of Public Safety. Similar traffic incidents claimed four lives in Mississippi, three in Texas, and one in Oklahoma.
The Arkansas Emergency Management Agency reported that three people died and 32 were injured, emphasizing that this information is preliminary.
Photo: Oklahoma Highway Patrol/Facebook
Officials in Tennessee and Missouri warned of the risk of new tornadoes. Thunderstorms and strong winds are also expected.
Photos taken by emergency personnel show damaged buildings and overturned trucks.
In Butler County, where one person died, several other fatalities have been reported, and several people have been evacuated. New tornadoes are expected to hit the area today.
Photo: Missouri State Highway Patrol
Photo: Missouri State Highway Patrol
In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency, urging local residents to "stay prepared" for worsening weather.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also declared a state of emergency.
"A powerful storm and tornado hit Arkansas, continuing to pose risks, challenges, and hardships across the entire state, necessitating these measures," her statement said.
According to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, "strong storms" could bring lightning, strong winds, hail, and new tornadoes.
Photo: Oklahoma Highway Patrol/Facebook
According to weather service reports, there is an "additional threat" of "significant" and "unbelievable" tornadoes that could cause major damage in the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, the central Gulf Coast, and the southeastern United States.
