Storms targeted the South and Midwest, killing at least 7 people

The National Weather Service said that tornadoes near Bay and Lake City, Arkansas, and Selmer, Tennessee, on Wednesday night and early Thursday were at least EF3.

These classifications for the two tornadoes are preliminary - meaning they might change - and are solely based on early data, according to the NWS.

Selmer: at least an EF3, with winds of 160 mph. Bay and Lake City expect at least an EF3 with winds of 150 mph.

At least seven people were killed — five in Tennessee, one in Indiana, and one in Missouri — and 13 were injured as severe weather wreaked havoc across the country, from the Midwest to the mid-South.

There have been several reports of ruined structures, collapsed automobiles, and downed trees, and over 247,000 energy users in the United States are without electricity.

The National Weather Service warned of "life-threatening, catastrophic, and potentially historic" flash floods in the lower Ohio Valley and mid-South.

Forecasters warn that populations in flood-prone areas "should prepare for possible long duration and severe disruptions to daily life," with 10 to 15 inches of rain anticipated over the weekend. Severe weather, including tornadoes and huge hail, is forecast over the Ozarks, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas.

Depending on the severity of the destruction, each tornado's final rating may take several days to determine. The tornadoes may wind up being classified higher than EF3, but they will never be rated lower.