At least five people have been killed in a monster storm sweeping across much of the U.S. At least two people were killed in Missouri after a tornado struck the Bakersfield area.

The threat of violent tornadoes in parts of the U.S. proved deadly as well as destructive as whipping winds moved east Saturday into the Mississippi Valley and Deep South, with at least 16 people killed and scores of homes decimated.

Severe storms, including tornado outbreaks, have caused 16 fatalities across the US, with Missouri and Arkansas among the hardest-hit states. Along with the violent weather, wildfires have sparked in multiple states,