Rare winter storms kill at least 43 in the United States

Flash floods have killed at least 13 people in Missouri and IL.

At least eight people have died, Nixon’s office said.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Sunday as heavy rain led to widespread flooding across much of the state, with more heavy rain and flooding expected through Monday.

Three adults and two children were in a auto near the village of Patoka, Illinois, 137 km east of St Louis, Missouri, when their vehicle was washed away by floodwaters on Saturday night, according to Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon.

(AP Photo/Butch Dill). Lightning illuminates a house after a tornado touched down in Jefferson County, Ala., damaging several houses, Friday, Dec. 25, 2015, in Birmingham, Ala. Tornadoes that swept through the Dallas area caused substantial damage and at least 11 people died either from the storm or related traffic accidents and dozens of people were injured.

Hardest-hit was the Dallas suburb of Garland, where authorities confirmed eight fatalities after a tornado packing winds of up to 200 miles (320 kilometers) per hour bore down on the city.

“This is a huge impact on our community, and we’re all suffering”, Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau told The Associated Press. He urged caution as more extreme weather is expected in Texas, and several other parts of the United States. As per official estimates, 600 homes were damaged in Rowlett.

Dallas-area residents trying to recover from a spate of deadly tornadoes will get hit with snow and near-freezing temperatures Monday.

The NWS forecast blizzards and heavy snow for eastern New Mexico, Oklahoma and northern Texas, with snow expected to eventually reach the tornado-damaged Dallas area.

“There were sirens that were going off, I mean multiple times and in multiple areas, notifying people of a tornado”.

“Texas is doing everything we can to help you piece your lives back together and deal with the challenges you are facing right now”, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said today, adding the state is still facing rain and the possibility for more tornadoes. Flash flood warnings have been announced in a number of counties stretching from Texas to Indiana.

It was the latest of a succession of powerful weather events across the country, from heavy snow in New Mexico, west Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle to flooding in parts of the Plains and Midwest.

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez declared a state of emergency Sunday, saying 16 inches of snow had already fallen in some parts of the state, making roads impassable. Local officials estimated as many as 1,450 homes were damaged or destroyed in storms that the National Weather Service said produced nine tornadoes.

“American and its employees stand ready to assist in the recovery efforts and we encourage our customers to join us by donating to the Red Cross”, said Joe Taney, American’s vice president for Dallas-Fort Worth Hub Operations. And weather experts fear that the worst of the severe winter weather isn’t over yet.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said in a statement Sunday night that as many as 600 homes were damaged in Rowlett.

Bystanders watch the Flint River flow over Old Hwy. Damage is seen in a mobile home park after Saturday’s tornado in Garland, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015.

In the nearby town of Rowlett, City Manager Brian Funderburk said Sunday morning that 23 people were injured, but that there were no deaths and no reports of missing people.

“We can’t wait, when it is raining so much”, she said.