Tornadoes swept across Oklahoma and Kansas leave more than a dozen people injured

In the United States, powerful storms with widespread wind gusts and reported tornadoes swept across Oklahoma and Kansas, leaving more than a dozen people injured.

Possible tornadoes and widespread wind gusts up to 90 mph (144 kilometres) were reported in Oklahoma, with downed trees and power lines, road closures and damage to homes around Norman and Shawnee. 

Officials in Norman, about 32 kilometres south of Oklahoma City said, there were 12 confirmed weather-related injuries, but none were considered critical.

The National Weather Service said, a tornado touched down near Liberal in Kansas on Sunday in which more than a dozen homes were reported damaged. One person received minor injuries.

The Storm Prediction Center said the severe weather threat remained on Monday as



thunderstorms were expected to produce damaging gusts across the Ohio Valley. At least a few tornadoes were also possible.

In hard-hit southeastern Michigan, authorities continued to work to restore electricity following last week's ice storm and high winds. The state’s two main power utilities reported more than 93,000 homes and businesses were without power as of Monday morning.

California, meanwhile, got a brief break from severe weather after a powerful storm a day earlier swelled Los Angeles-area rivers to dangerous levels, flooded roads and dumped snow at elevations as low as about 1,000 feet. The National Weather Service said a series of winter storm systems will continue moving into the state through Wednesday after residents got a brief break from severe weather on Sunday.