Deadly Southern Storms

At least 12 people have been killed after powerful storms hit the southern US late last week, damaging homes and businesses across seven states. Kentucky was hit particularly hard, leaving at least five people dead and 370,000 customers without power. Close to 40 million people in the US were under a winter or wind alert over the weekend, with more heavy snow expected in the northern parts of both coasts. See forecast map here.

The storms left many areas at risk from downed power lines and fallen trees, with some areas seeing wind gusts reaching up to 75 miles per hour. Some power outages reportedly affected water systems, leading to more than 1,800 residents in Kentucky being placed under a boil-water advisory.

The same system had previously dumped 10 feet of snow in parts of California, trapping dozens in their homes and leading state officials to declare a state of emergency in 13 counties. See photos here.