Strong tornadoes threaten millions more in the central US after a weekend of violent storms that left at least 28 dead

By Mary Gilbert, Hanna Park

(CNN) — A relentless stretch of severe weather that left 28 dead and unleashed destruction across the central and eastern United States in recent days isn’t letting up yet, with millions more in the path of dangerous weather this week.

More than 7 million people are under a tornado risk on Tuesday as severe weather shifts east towards parts of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee valleys. The threat includes areas already battered by this spring’s storms, like western Kentucky and western Tennessee.

Damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes are once again possible, with lingering storms from Monday expected to impact parts of the Ohio Valley Tuesday morning.

Additional storms are likely to develop Tuesday afternoon in the Mississippi Valley and push east through the evening.

Here’s the latest:

• Deadly weather: Violent storms have killed at least 28 people in three states since Friday: 19 in Kentucky, seven in Missouri – including five in St. Louis – and two in Virginia. There have been at least 1,500 reports to the Storm Prediction Center of damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes in the days of storms since Wednesday.
• Rare tornado emergencies: In line with extreme tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service, on Friday an EF4 tornado roared through Illinois’ Williamson County and injured at least seven people. Two extreme warnings on Sunday turned into “large and destructive” tornado emergencies in Greensburg and Plevna, Kansas.
• Moderate risk for excessive rainfall: Northern Arkansas and southern Missouri were expected to see up to 5 inches of rain overnight, prompting a level 3-of-4 flooding risk, the National Weather Service said. As the storm system moves east Tuesday, severe weather risks, including tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail, will shift to the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys, with localized flash flooding still a concern.

Dangerous storms Monday

Millions across the central United States endured dangerous storms on Monday, as a powerful weather system swept through the southern Plains and western Mississippi Valley. The Storm Prediction Center issued a Moderate Risk for severe weather, with large hail, damaging winds and several strong tornadoes reported in the affected areas, according to the National Weather Service.

“Everyone needs to stay weather aware today/tonight and have a plan in place in case you need to shelter,” urged the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.

The first round of storms began early Monday afternoon and stretched from northern Texas to Kansas a few hours later. The most dangerous activity in Kansas and Oklahoma began late Monday afternoon before an expected push east into the Mississippi Valley overnight.

After a tornado hit Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, sheriff’s deputies, fire personnel, and emergency management services are assessing damage, authorities said. They are also checking for individuals who may be injured or trapped, the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.

“Please avoid the areas damaged by the storm at this time as emergency services are in the area,” the agency said.

Multiple tornadoes hit Kansas Sunday

Tornadoes tore through Kansas on Sunday night, prompting two tornado emergencies in the central part of the state: one for Plevna and one for Greensburg.

In Plevna, roughly 60 miles from Wichita, Reno County Sheriff Darrian Campbell said a passing tornado Sunday night caused significant damage to homes.

It was a close call for Greensburg, but the city made it through the night relatively unscathed, CNN affiliate KWCH reported. That wasn’t the case elsewhere in the state.

A “large and extremely dangerous tornado” roared through Grinnell in northwestern Kansas on Sunday evening, according to the NWS.

Photos from the town show debris scattered everywhere, with severely damaged homes, blocked roads and overturned vehicles. One image shows a local church with its roof blown off.

About 20 homes were destroyed in Grinnell, which is home to fewer than 300 people, according to Gove County Sheriff Shawn Mesch.

“Essentially the entire west of Grinnell was destroyed,” Mesch told CNN Monday. But despite the level of destruction, there have been no reports of injuries: “It’s insane that nobody was hurt,” he said.

Midwest Energy reported the tornado caused damage to both electric and gas systems in the Grinnell area, according to KWCH.

Until Sunday night, Kansas had largely avoided tornadoes this spring, which is unusual for the state. May is the peak of tornado season for the US, with much of that activity typically centered in the Plains.

Five consecutive days of damaging storms

Ferocious storms have carved through hundreds of miles of the US in recent days, generating more than 1,500 reports of damaging wind gusts, hail and tornadoes since Wednesday.

About 100 of those reports were tornadoes. National Weather Service storm survey teams are still picking through extensive damage to determine exactly how many tornadoes tore through the central and eastern US since last week, but they’ve already found at least three EF3 tornadoes and one EF4.

The EF4 tornado tore through Williamson County in southern Illinois on Friday, injuring at least seven people as it damaged homes and obliterated trees.

An EF3 tornado rocked the St. Louis area Friday, according to the NWS, reaching its peak intensity as it stretched a mile wide over the north side of the city. The tornado killed at least five people and injured dozens, while also “damaging or destroying thousands of buildings.”

Storms also left vast destruction behind in Laurel County, Kentucky, with 17 deaths reported there over the weekend. The city of London, about 75 miles south of Lexington, was hit particularly hard.

Police in Corbin, south of London, were responding to mutual aid calls for tornado victims and described the devastation as overwhelming.

“Stop and pray for Laurel County residents and victims of the tornado that touched down there,” the department wrote.

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CNN’s Karina Tsui, Matt Rehbein, Ray Sanchez, Andy Rose, and Zoe Sottile contributed to this report.