At least 23 people have died as a result of tornadoes raging in two US states, according to local authorities.
According to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear, fourteen people died in Missouri, seven in Missouri and two in Northern Virginia.
The weather system also recorded a tornado passing over Wisconsin, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.
In the city of St. Louis, five people have been confirmed dead and more than 5,000 homes have been damaged, Mayor Kara Spencer said on 17 May.
Sheriff Derick Wheatley said the storm cyclone initially raged Friday in Scott County, 130 miles south of St. Louis, killing two people. The devastation resulted in roofs blown off homes, broken windows, fallen trees and power lines.
Kentucky’s governor wrote on the X network that the state’s death toll was likely to exceed 14 “as we get more information”.
The central US states are considered a “tornado belt” due to the climate and topography. However, in recent years, hurricanes have become more frequent and more destructive around the world due to global climate change.