At least 23 dead as storms batter eastern US

At least 23 people were killed across several states as an expansive outbreak of severe weather told from the US heartland to the East Coast.

At least 14 people were reported dead in Kentucky, 7 in Missouri and 2 in Virginia, state officials said.

Over 500 reports of severe weather were made from Texas to New Jersey from Friday and at least 600,000 people are now without power from Michigan to Tennessee.

Remnant storms from Friday's severe weather outbreak are continuing into Saturday morning and, as of this morning, 26 tornadoes have been reported from Friday's storms in Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois and one from New Jersey.

Softball-sized hail was reported in Barlow, Kentucky, and near Sullivan, Indiana, with greater than tennis-ball-size hail reported locally from Texas to Ohio.

In total, 15 states have reported storm damage from hail, winds and tornadoes from Missouri up to Michigan and out to New Jersey as severe storms continue tracking through the East-Central United States from Arkansas to Virginia

Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for portions of southeastern Arkansas, north-central Alabama, and central Mississippi until 10 a.m. CT with another severe thunderstorm watch in effect for portions of northern South Carolina, west-central North Carolina and southern Virginia until 12 p.m. ET.