Doha: Three people were killed as a result of a series of tornadoes that swept across the Midwest and southeastern United States.

According to Qatar News Agency, two fatalities were reported in the Bakersfield area of Ozark County in southern Missouri, while a third was confirmed in Butler County. Authorities noted that the full extent of the devastation is still being assessed.

The meteorologist at the US National Weather Service, David Roth, stated that reports indicated at least 26 tornadoes, though their landfall has yet to be confirmed. He noted that parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, and Missouri experienced severe thunderstorms.

There is a significant risk today of additional tornadoes in Alabama and Mississippi, with a 30 percent probability, an exceptionally high figure, he added.

Meteorologists warned that the renewed storms pose the greatest threat of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms this evening.

While tornadoes are relatively common in the central and southern United States, experts note that successive large-scale events are exceedingly rare.