Us midwest: At least three people were killed, and nearly 800,000 customers lost power as severe storms swept across the US Midwest on Tuesday, according to authorities.

According to Anadolu Agency, two deaths occurred in the state of Indiana; one person died in a suspected weather-related house explosion in Portage, while a boy, aged four, was killed when a tree fell on his home in Jennings County. Jennings County Chief Sheriff's Deputy Cody Low commented on the child's death, noting that the weather-related contributions were likely due to wind and the storms that had passed through the county earlier in the day.

Another fatality was reported in Roseville, Ohio, where emergency crews were unable to reach the victim, as stated by Governor Mike DeWine. The widespread flooding led to a state of emergency being declared, with flash flood warnings affecting 16 million people on Wednesday.

In Portage, severe weather and obstructed roads delayed firefighters responding to a house fire. Police Captain Rob Maynard described the storms as 'probably the most severe weather event that any of us here can remember.'

Additionally, sixteen inmates at a prison in Grafton, Ohio, were hospitalized after being struck by lightning as they returned from dinner; one inmate required airlifting, according to authorities.

The National Weather Service reported the confirmation of two tornadoes near Chicago, both causing EF1-level damage. By Wednesday morning, nearly 800,000 customers in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky remained without power, with the majority of outages occurring in Ohio and Indiana.

Utility provider AEP indicated that the Columbus, Ohio area experienced wind gusts exceeding 80 mph (129 km/h), which led to trees falling on power lines. AEP stated it had mobilized more than 2,000 workers, including crews from other states, to restore electricity.