Thousands of Americans without power due to severe weather

Tornadoes and severe thunderstorms have left nearly 300,000 residents across seven states without power as of Monday night. Over the weekend, intense storms claimed at least 23 lives and caused widespread destruction across the central United States. 

The highest risk of severe weather has shifted eastward, spanning from Alabama to New York, with additional thunderstorms, damaging wind gusts, hail, and flash flooding anticipated.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that heavy rain will affect the East Coast into Tuesday morning, impacting areas including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Severe thunderstorms are also predicted for Texas on Tuesday, with wind gusts potentially reaching 120 km/h or higher. 

Extreme heat will persist in parts of the southern U.S. with record or near-record high temperatures expected. Sunday was the most active severe weather day in the U.S. this year, with over 600 reports of storm damage across 20 states, leading to widespread destruction and power outages.

Fatalities were reported in multiple states, including eight in Arkansas, seven in Texas, two in Oklahoma, and five in Kentucky. In Alabama, a 79-year-old woman died on Monday morning after a tree fell onto her home. 

President Joe Biden has spoken with the governors of the affected states and offered federal assistance.