Over the past 24 hours, more than 40 reported tornadoes have swept across eight states in the Midwest and South -- and the dangerous severe weather threat continues. The eight states with reported tornadoes in the past day are Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee.

At least 34 people have died in the US after violent tornadoes tore through several south-eastern states, flipping cars and flattening homes. In Kansas, a dust storm on Friday afternoon caused a crash with more than 50 vehicles, killing at least 8 people. Texas saw a similar mass pile-up.