At least eight people in four states have been killed amid widespread storm destruction. The tornado threat has escalated, and life-threatening flash flooding will continue in the days ahead.

Repeated waves of thunderstorms will pose risks to lives and property through the weekend in the same areas that were blasted by deadly storms on Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Thunderstorms, large hail, destructive wind gusts and strong tornadoes threaten up to 73 million people across the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on Sunday. By evening, Michigan, Missouri and Mississipi each had preliminary tornado reports as a storm system slowly marched east,

Violent storms cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least two people, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes.

Violent storms have cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least one person, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes