Parts of the Midwest and South faced the possibility of torrential rains and life-threatening flash floods even as many communities were still reeling from tornadoes that killed several people.

(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.

Dozens of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Wednesday in parts of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Mississippi as storms hit those and other states in

At least six people have been killed in a wide swath of violent storms and tornadoes that hit the South and Midwest

Two people were killed in Tennessee, officials said, and millions of people were under severe weather advisories and more than 300,000 customers had lost power.

More than 20 tornadoes have been reported to the National Weather Service after deadly storms broke out across the South and Midwest.

Parts of the Midwest and South faced the possibility of torrential rains and life-threatening flash floods Friday, while many communities were still reeling from tornadoes that destroyed whole neighborhoods and killed at least seven people.

The National Weather Service warned on Thursday of "generational" floods in the southern and Midwestern United States, as storms ripped across a swath of the country from Texas to Michigan, flinging down hail and whipping up tornadoes.

Violent storms have cut through a wide swath of the South and Midwest, spawning tornadoes and killing at least one person, knocking down power lines and trees and ripping roofs off homes