Tornadoes, floods devastate the Midwest and South

A massive tornado outbreak on Wednesday left at least seven people dead and caused widespread destruction across the Midwest and southern US.

Nearly 100 tornadoes touched down, prompting the National Weather Service (NWS) to issue 284 warnings—one of the highest single-day totals on record.

Now, the region faces a catastrophic flooding threat.

A slow-moving cold front will stall near the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, bringing torrential rain. Some areas, including Memphis, could see over 12 inches of rain in three days, a once-in-a-millennium event.

Flooding will impact many of the same areas hit by tornadoes, stretching emergency resources already weakened by staffing shortages at the NWS and FEMA due to the mass federal layoffs.

Authorities urge residents to prepare for prolonged disruptions.