Weather tracker: tornadoes hit US as La Niña comes to end

Wave of thunderstorms and tornadoes over the past few weeks resulted in deaths of 63 people

Severe tornadoes hit the US this week, with at least seven reported on Tuesday in Illinois, while on Wednesday morning a powerful tornado tore through south-eastern Missouri causing widespread damage and at least five deaths in Bollinger County.

According to the National Weather Service, the Missouri tornado lasted about 15 minutes with winds reaching peaks of 130mph. A wave of thunderstorms and tornadoes in the US over the past few weeks have resulted in the deaths of at least 63 people.