A deadly tornado outbreak ripped through Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas and Mississippi overnight Friday, leaving destruction, power outages and tragic loss in its wake.

Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

A quickly-spreading wildfire, fueled by powerful winds, has forced the urgent evacuation of the entire town of Velma, in Stephens County Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is closing parts of OK-7 to keep people out of danger as flames tear through dry grass.