A series of tornadoes swept through the southern plains of the United States, killing at least four individuals, including a four-month-old infant.
The extreme weather event prompted alerts that placed over seven million Americans under tornado warnings on Sunday.
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The National Weather Service (NWS) also issued storm warnings for high winds, heavy rains, and hail for more than 47 million people from East Texas to Illinois and Wisconsin.
According to the weather service, the chaotic weather is forecast to persist across the country’s mid-section into Monday.
In response to the disaster, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced a “disaster emergency” for the state, allocating additional resources for first responders and recovery operations.
“You just can’t believe the destruction. It seems like every business downtown has been destroyed,” Mr Stitt said.
Aerial images captured the scale of the destruction, with buildings reduced to rubble.
The NWS reported that 38 possible twisters ravaged the area, with the worst of the storms battering Central Oklahoma on Saturday into early Sunday morning, extending into northwest Texas, western Missouri, and Kansas.
Dozens of homes were either completely demolished or severely damaged by tornadoes.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management confirmed the fatalities and reported approximately 100 injuries in hospitals across the state.
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