Numerous significant tornadoes are expected Saturday afternoon and evening, with the highest risk across several states in the Deep South, forecasters say.

The death toll increased overnight from a powerful storm system that caused havoc in the middle of the country, triggering wind-driven wildfires and blinding dust storms in the Plains before spawning multiple destructive tornadoes in states like Missouri and Mississippi.

Footage shows the sky blacken as the view from the window becomes completely obscured by the monster storm - with debris seen flying through the air as winds reached 130kph