A series of tornadoes swept through the US states of Oklahoma and Kansas, leaving behind a trail of damaged buildings and cars, causing injuries and causing power outages for tens of thousands of homes and businesses.
Police in Norman, Oklahoma, said that 12 people were taken to hospitals after they were injured as a result of the storms that swept the city - which has a population of 128 thousand people - and nearby places at about 11 pm local time Sunday (-6 hours GMT), and indicated that there were no Serious, life-threatening injuries.
Video footage and pictures of the destruction - which appeared in local news bulletins and on social media - showed power lines falling in the middle of roads, debris scattering to neighboring neighborhoods, and roofs of buildings flying.
Police said many roads were closed due to fallen power poles and debris, while local media reported that about 12,000 homes and businesses were without power across Oklahoma.
The National Weather Service said it had received reports of 9 tornadoes in Kansas and Oklahoma.
Storms caused road closures as a result of falling power poles in Oklahoma (Associated Press)
The severe weather comes days after a winter storm ravaged the American Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes.
More than 130,000 Michigan homes and businesses remained without power as of Monday, PowerAutage.us reported.
Monday's weather forecast recorded winds of up to 177 km/h in the American plains, as well as strong winter storms in California, the upper Midwest and New England.
Areas in California spent the weekend dealing with heavy snow on the hills, rain and sleet on the flatlands, and freezing temperatures in parts of the notoriously mild state.