Millions of Americans across the country are on alert for a severe weather outbreak as violent, long-track tornadoes with damaging winds of up to 80 mph and large hail are expected across the Midwest and South with the cross-country storm moving east.

A Kansas highway pileup involving over 70 vehicles claimed at least eight lives, according to the state highway patrol. The severe weather threat will linger through Sunday from Florida northward into the upper Ohio River Valley,

The weather cut a swathe of destruction across an area of the country that is home to more than 100 million people.