'Mass casualty event' declared as tornadoes hit Kentucky and Missouri

At least 27 people have died after severe storms and tornadoes hit parts of the US.

Eighteen people have died in Kentucky and at least 10 were in a critical condition, its governor Andy Beshear said, while seven have died in Missouri and two in northern Virginia.

The weather system also saw tornadoes tear through Wisconsin, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power.

In the Missouri city of St Louis, five people were confirmed dead and more than 5,000 homes were damaged, mayor Cara Spencer said on Saturday.

The storm system originally hit Scott County, 130 miles south of St Louis, on Friday, killing two people, Sheriff Derick Wheetley said.

The devastation that ensued saw roofs torn off buildings, blown-out windows, toppled trees, and power lines.

St Louis mayor Cara Spencer said: "Our city is grieving tonight. The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous."

Dozens of people are believed to have been injured and in hospital, but the exact numbers in Missouri have not been confirmed.

Kentucky officials described the situation there as a "mass casualty event" after the weather system tore across Laurel County late on Friday.

At least 17 people were killed in Laurel County when a twister touched down around midnight, governor Mr Beshear said on Saturday afternoon on social media.

Among the dead was a firefighter with the Laurel County Fire Department who was fatally injured while responding to the havoc caused by the weather.

Several people were taken to hospital, buildings were damaged, and a car flipped over on a busy highway, local officials reported.

Laurel County Sheriff's Office spokesman Gilbert Acciardo said rescuers had "been on the ground all night looking for possible survivors".

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Further devastation expected in other states

The National Weather Service warned of further devastation hitting Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma on Saturday.

"Severe thunderstorms producing large to very large hail, damaging gusts, and a couple of tornadoes are expected across the southern Plains," it said on its website.

The Midwest tornadoes were also expected to hit Illinois, eventually stretching to New Jersey and the Atlantic coast.

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