At least 24 people died over Memorial Day Weekend as the South and Midwest were pummeled by severe storms and at least 70 tornadoes.
The storms spanned the Plains and the Ozark Mountains and impacted 15 states - with Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kentucky bearing the brunt of the severe weather.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed eight deaths during a Sunday press conference, while two people died in Oklahoma and five died in Kentucky. In Colorado, a farmer and nearly three dozen cattle were killed in a lightning strike. Seven people - including a mother and her two children - were killed in Cooke County, Texas.
"We are going through the heart-wrenching loss of life, including the heartbreak of a family losing a two-year-old and a five-year-old child," Texas Governor Gregg Abbott said on Sunday. "When they woke up yesterday, they had no way of knowing the family would be literally crushed by this horrific storm."
President Joe Biden is reportedly in contact with the governors of the impacted states. The President and First Lady also released a statement regarding the loss of life seen across the region.
"Jill and I are praying for those who tragically lost their lives as a result of devastating tornadoes that tore through Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, leveling entire communities and leaving a path of destruction in their wake," Biden wrote. "Our condolences are with everyone who has been affected. This comes as communities across the Midwest and South are still reeling from deadly storms and severe weather."
Nearly 950,000 households were still without electricity, on Tuesday, according to poweroutage.us. In Texas alone, more than 700,000 customers are still experiencing power outages.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency, warning residents that it could take several days to fully restore electricity.
"It's a big mess," said local Rob Linton, according to Al Jazeera. "Trees down everywhere. Houses moved. Power lines are down. No utilities whatsoever - no water, no power."
