The southern and central United States have been hit by dozens of tornadoes since Friday night, with eighteen deaths so far. International news agencies report this on Saturday. Dozens, probably hundreds, of others were injured.
The storms, accompanied by heavy rain showers, will move to the east of the country on Saturday evening. Even in states where the storms are unlikely to take on the strength of tornadoes, such as New York and Pennsylvania, wind speeds are expected to reach 105 kilometers per hour.
The hardest hit state seems to be Tennessee so far. Seven people were killed in that southern state, where local authorities said the tornadoes ripped roofs, knocked down walls and uprooted trees. Five people were killed in neighboring Arkansas. Authorities in northern Indiana have so far counted three deaths.
In the town of Belvidere, Illinois, the roof of a concert hall packed with 260 guests collapsed. One man was pulled from the rubble dead, forty others were injured. Two of the visitors to the metal concert are in critical condition.