US storms, 'devastating' flooding death toll climbs to 17

Violent storms battering the central-eastern United States person killed astatine slightest 17 people, officials said Sunday, with the National Weather Service informing of "devastating" flash flooding.

Flood warnings stay successful effect, peculiarly successful Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama, according to forecasters.

Tennessee has been the hardest hit, with 10 deaths recorded successful the occidental portion of the state.

Kentucky and Missouri each study 2 deaths, portion Arkansas, Indiana, and Mississippi each number one, with tolls that could inactive rise.

In Jeffersontown, Kentucky, buildings were near destroyed by a reported tornado, an AFP analogous saw.

Photos shared connected societal and section media showed wide harm from the tempest crossed respective states, with homes torn apart, toppled trees, downed powerfulness lines and overturned cars.

The National Weather Service said Sunday that "there is inactive immoderate menace for dense rainfall and flash flooding for portions of the Southeast and the Gulf Coast portion going done this evening and overnight."

"Flooding has reached grounds levels successful galore communities," Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear wrote connected societal media Saturday, urging residents successful the authorities to "avoid travel, and ne'er thrust done water."

Almost 140,000 customers were without powerfulness successful 5 affected states Sunday, according to tracking website PowerOutage.us.

Scientists accidental planetary warming is disrupting clime patterns and the h2o cycle, making utmost upwind much predominant and ferocious.

Last twelvemonth acceptable a grounds for precocious temperatures successful the United States, with the state besides pummeled by a barrage of tornadoes and destructive hurricanes.

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