Days of major storms and flooding have killed at least 18 people across southern and midwestern U.S. states, with the highest number of deaths recorded in Tennessee. Other hard-hit states include Kentucky, Arkansas, Ohio, Missouri, Mississippi and Alabama. The deadly storms come as the National Weather Service has become severely understaffed following cuts by the Trump administration.

In environmental news, on Thursday, the Trump administration removed federal protections for over half the land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, opening vast areas up to logging.