Deadly tornadoes rip through southern U.S.

A possibly record-breaking tornado ripped through northern Mississippi on Wednesday. — (Image credit: Twitter.com/NWS Memphis)

The American South was hit with deadly weather patterns Wednesday, as at least eight people were killed across three states by severe storms. The national Storm Prediction Center said at least 14 tornadoes touched down Wednesday in Mississippi alone, CNN reports, but northern Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas were all hit with deadly twisters.

A single tornado that began in Mississippi and continued into Tennessee seems to have caused most of the damage, and the National Weather Service estimates it may have been on the ground for 150 miles — a possible regional record. Approximately 40 people were injured across northern Mississippi due to the weather patterns, while the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency declared a Level III State of Emergency due to the storms. The Storm Prediction Center said the area in the most tornado-related danger spanned the South and Midwest and is home to approximately 3.7 million people.