A line of severe storms carved a path of destruction across multiple southern states, spawning at least 41 tornadoes and leaving at least 18 people dead.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency confirmed that 11 people died, and over 200 homes were destroyed. Most of the damage occurred in Jefferson Davis County, where more than 100 homes were damaged and four people were killed.
Two of the victims were identified as Lawrence County Sheriff's deputy Robert Ainsworth and his wife.
"Robert left this world a hero, as he shielded Mrs. Paula during the tornado," the department said in a statement on its Facebook page. "He was a very valuable employee and will be greatly missed."
In Georgia, six people were killed, including five from rural Murray County. Officials said that four of the six victims lived in the same trailer park. In Arkansas, one person was killed after a tree fell on their home.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards issued a state of emergency after the storms destroyed nearly 300 buildings in the city of Monroe. While there were injuries, there were no reports of any deaths in the state.
The storms continued to move northeast and are bringing high winds and heavy rains to the Atlantic Coast and up to New England.