Terrifying videos of a violent tornado in Arkansas have gone viral after a stormy night in the Central and Southern U.S. that threw debris hundreds of feet into the air.The ContextThe tornadoes arrived as a powerful spring storm system swept through portions of the Lower Ohio Valley and South.

(Reuters) -Tornadoes ripped across a wide swath of the central and southern United States on Wednesday, destroying homes and businesses and bringing down power lines and trees. The National Weather Service said there had been at least 15 reports of tornadoes in at least four states by late Wednesday.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency, the most severe type of warning that exists, in Lake City, Arkansas.

Severe storms have led to widespread destruction across multiple states, resulting in casualties, damaged homes, and ongoing threats of more tornadoes in the coming days.

The National Weather Service described the disaster as "a once-in-a-generation to once-in-a-lifetime" event, warning that the worst may still be ahead.