Over the past 24 hours, more than 40 reported tornadoes have swept across eight states in the Midwest and South -- and the dangerous severe weather threat continues. The eight states with reported tornadoes in the past day are Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee.

Violent tornadoes and high winds decimated homes, wiped out schools and toppled semitractor-trailers as a monster storm that killed at least 32 people ripped its way across the central and southern U.

The dynamic storm from Friday through Sunday earned an unusual “high risk” designation from weather forecasters.

By Rich McKay ATLANTA (Reuters) -Tornadoes killed at least 33 people across several states in the U.S. Midwest and Southeast on Saturday night, CNN reported. Missouri reported 12 fatalities spanning five counties,