• At least 20 fatalities confirmed due to severe storms affecting the U.S. Midwest and South.
• Missouri reported the highest number of storm-related deaths, exceeding 12.
• States of emergency declared across multiple regions as damage and injuries mount.
• Forecasts indicate continued risk for tornadoes and severe weather throughout the weekend.

At least 20 people have died in a catastrophic storm outbreak ravaging the Midwest and South of the United States, including over 12 fatalities in Missouri, as reported by the ABC News. The storms began to unleash their fury late Friday night and continued into Saturday, bringing with them a series of tornadoes, high winds exceeding 80 mph, and devastating fires that have left thousands without power.

The Arkansas Department of Public Safety confirmed three deaths linked to the storms, while Texas authorities reported four fatalities due to car accidents resulting from a dust storm. Furthermore, Oklahoma officials indicated that one person died after driving into smoke from the raging wildfires, which have already burned over 170,000 acres in the region.

Weather experts predict that the risk for tornadoes remains high, particularly in Alabama and Mississippi, with the National Weather Service issuing alerts for “potentially violent” tornadoes throughout Saturday. As the storm system progresses eastward, cities including Jackson and Birmingham could face significant threats from these severe weather conditions, which may also include heavy rainfall and flood risks.

The magnitude of the storms has prompted states from Reuters to declare states of emergency, with more than 300,000 power outages reported, particularly in Missouri. Residents are evacuated to emergency shelters like the Black River Coliseum, as authorities assess the extensive damage.

According to meteorologists at AccuWeather, approximately 100 million people are currently at risk from ongoing severe weather conditions, with forecasts suggesting the potential for more destructive storms in the coming days.

For further updates on this developing story, refer to the Forbes article.