BBC:
At least 22 people have died from flash flooding and tornado damage that swept across multiple states in the the Midwestern and southern parts of the US over the weekend, officials have said.
Nearly half of the reported deaths, which included children and elderly people, were in Tennessee, and three were in Missouri. Three people died in Kentucky while Indiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Arkansas have also reported deaths from the storm.
The fierce weather has caused rivers to swell and the National Weather Service warned that dozens of locations would reach “major flood stage” even as the rain slows down.
As many as nine million Americans were under a flood watch on Monday, US media reported.
In Kentucky, a nine-year-old boy was swept away by floodwaters while walking to his school bus stop. His body was found two hours later.
In Missouri, 16-year-old volunteer firefighter Chevy Gall died in a crash while trying to rescue people caught in the storm.
“Chevy died while answering the call to help others,” said local Fire Chief Terry Feth.
“Our entire department is grieving, as we mourn with Chevy’s family, friends, and our fellow first responders during this incredibly difficult time.”
In Little Rock, Arkansas, a five-year-old boy was killed by a tree that fell into his home, destroying it.
In Georgia, a father and son were both killed on Sunday while playing golf. According to a coroner’s report, Matthew Terrell Collins Sr, 58, and Matthew Terrell Collins Jr, 29, died when a tree fell on their golf cart.
A GoFundMe campaign launched to raise money for the Collins family described: “They were spending time together when the storm struck – sharing a moment between father and son that would unknowingly become their last.”
