At least 18 dead in U.S. tornadoes, storms

Powerful storms in the central United States have killed at least 18 people and caused widespread damage to communities in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Nearly 109 million people spanning wide areas of the U.S. were under threat of large hail, damaging winds, and fierce twisters on Sunday, primarily across the mid-Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee River valleys.

The extreme weather has caused power outages and forced people to take shelter across the region. Weather forecasters warned of more severe weather and the National Weather Service has issued dozens of tornado warnings for cities and towns in the region.