Dozens of Tornadoes Slash the South and Midwest, Leaving Trail of Destruction and at Least 39 Dead

Utter devastation struck the nation's heartland over the weekend as dozens of tornadoes left a trail of death and destruction across eight states, from Missouri to Alabama. At least 39 people are known to be dead.

Near Mobile, Alabama, there were at least three killed, including Anita Owen's mother.

As she surveyed what little was left of her mother's home, a weeping Owens recounted how she learned of her mom's death from a relative, "All she could say was 'Mama's house is gone. It's leveled. It's leveled.' You wouldn't think just some wind and tornadoes would do this much devastation." 

In Talladega County, Alabama, a high school bus looked like a toy tossed against the side of Winterboro High School. 

At the Paradise Ranch RV Resort in Mississippi, miraculously, no one was hurt while much of the grounds were flattened.

In Georgia, a tornado was confirmed west of Atlanta. One eyewitness said, "It sounded like a war zone." 

In Arkansas, the National Guard was deployed after an EF-3 tornado packing 165-mile-per-hour winds flattened buildings.

The highest death toll was in Missouri, with a least a dozen lives lost.

Dakota Henderson had to rescue his aunt after her home was leveled. 

"She was trapped in that bedroom, only room standing in the house. She was trapped in it. We got her out the window," Henderson said. "We found a few bodies that were out in the field, a few deceased people. It was it was a rough night. It was a really rough night."

Winds from the same storm system even created wildfires in Texas and Oklahoma, leaving at least four people dead and 400 homes damaged.

More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma. "Nobody has enough resources to fight fires when the wind is blowing 70 mph," said Terry Essary, the fire chief of Stillwater, Oklahoma. "It's an insurmountable task."

In Bakersfield, Missouri, townsfolk have come together to help one another.

Resident Jennifer Bridges said, "Members of the community have just been great. They've been coming in and bringing stuff all day long. We're filling the church building up so we're going to have it open, ready for anybody that needs something."

One man could be seen playing 'Amazing Grace' on bagpipes outside his destroyed home, vowing to rebuild.

The severe weather has moved into the Northeast, with high winds and heavy rain expected across New York and New England on Monday.