Furious U.S. Storms Kill at Least 40

A vicious storm system that began brewing in Oklahoma has since wreaked havoc across the Midwest and into the Northeast, leaving at least 40 people dead in the wake of its tornadoes, flash floods, and hail as big as softballs. Emergency crews searched for victims in hard-hit areas of North Carolina on Sunday, where 62 tornadoes were reported in the worst spring storm the state has seen in two decades. The National Weather Service counted 23 dead in the state. At least four deaths have been reported in Virginia, though authorities warned the death toll would likely rise as search rescuers continued mining the rubble. Fatalities were also reported in Alabama, Mississippi, Arksansas, and Oklahoma throughout the weekend.