
Multiple tornadoes tore across Indiana and Ohio overnight, ripping buildings apart, downing trees and leaving millions without power.

The rapid-fire line of apparent tornadoes were packed so closely together that one crossed the path carved by another.

The storms strew debris so thick that at one point, highway crews had to use snowplows to clear an interstate.

At least half a dozen communities from eastern Indiana through central Ohio suffered damage, according to the National Weather Service (NWS), though authorities working through the night had reported no fatalities as of early on Tuesday.

Some 5 million people were without power early on Tuesday in Ohio alone with towns just outside Dayton taking some of the heaviest hits.

Two suspected tornadoes hit the metro area of Dayton, Ohio on Monday night in the apace of just 30 minutes apart, according to the NWS and caused 'significant damage and injuries'.

Another reported tornado touched down just east of Dayton at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, local media reported.

When another tornado struck around 75 miles away in Circleville, Ohio, just before 1am the agency warned residents to 'take cover'.

One tornado described as 'large and dangerous' wreaked havoc in western Ohio after tearing through buildings and causing widespread damage and injuries.

A 'large and dangerous' tornado wreaked havoc after touching down near Daytona, Ohio late Monday night and causing widespread damage and injuries

Photos taken by residents showed widespread damage with homes severely damaged and trees and power lines brought down

One tornado's path crossed over Interstate 75 and images showed debris strewn across the highway

Crews had to use snow plows to clean up debris from Interstate 75

A resident of Dayton, Ohio, posted pictures of a severely damaged home hit by a tornado

Power lines and trees were downed and debris was scattered across roads in Beavercreek, Ohio, after a tornado struck

The first destructive tornado first touched down in the city of Trotwood, just outside Dayton, at about 11pm on Monday night before moving through the state.

The National Weather Service described the tornado as 'extremely dangerous' and warned residents to remain in their shelters as it tore through the heavily populated area.

'This is a life threatening situation', the NWS warned in a grave tweet.

The agency also warned residents to 'take cover' in south east Pickaway County or south west Fairfield County.

A spokesman tweeted: 'RADAR CONFIRMED TORNADO JUST SOUTH OF CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO. TAKE COVER IF YOU ARE IN SOUTHEAST PICKAWAY COUNTY OR SOUTHWEST FAIRFIELD COUNTY!!!'

Weather officials reported signs on their radars of debris being lifted tens of thousands of feet when the first tornado touched down.

Photos taken by residents showed widespread damage with homes severely damaged and trees and power lines brought down.

The most severe damage was reported in the Dayton metro area and Celina, about 60 miles north-west of Dayton.

Authorities were going door-to-door checking if people were trapped in their homes and police scanners indicated the dozens were injured and needed help.

The NWS reported that some residents were trapped in collapsed buildings in several areas with firefighters and EMTs having difficulty reaching the scenes due to debris in the roads and power lines blocking highways down.

There were reports of houses being cut in half and others that were completely flattened.

Residents shared photos of their homes damaged or destroyed by a tornado. The entire side of the home was ripped off

Authorities were going door-to-door checking if people were trapped in their homes

Authorities released this image, which appears to show debris from a vehicle strewn over the highway

Trees had to be swept of the road by highway police using a snow plow late Monday

Weather officials reported signs on their radars of debris being lifted tens of thousands of feet when a tornado touched down

A roof was spotted strewn across a road near a school in Dayton on Monday night near Interstate 75

A destroyed Aldi supermarket and downed power lines near Beavercreek, Ohio, a suburb of Dayton, after it was struck by a tornado

The steeple of the New Life Worship Center in Dayton snapped off when one tornado tore through and part of the roof was torn off and landed in the car park.

About 25 people, including children, were reported to be hiding in the church at the time.

More than 15,000 homes were without power in Montgomery County at 1am on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the Office of Emergency Management in Montgomery County, said: 'We're right in the middle of it right now. It's a mess.'

The National Weather Service said there are more 70,000 power outages across the state of Ohio, affecting over 5 million people.

One of the tornado's path crossed over Interstate 75 and images showed debris strewn across the highway.

Crews had to use snow plows to clean up debris from the roads.

Residents walking toward their Westbrooke Village Apartment building in Dayton that was heavily damaged by a tornado on Tuesday morning. Trees were also damaged and cars covered in earth

Lightening illuminated the sky above Dayton as a tornado struck the area, causing devastation to buildings and power lines

Debris was left across the highway and buildings were destroyed along the road that runs from Dixie to the Dayton Dragons stadium

Images of the destruction were posted on social media showing the devastation in Dayton, Ohio

One resident posted footage of damaged buildings in Dayton (left), while another showed the damage to their home (right)

The National Weather Service warned residents in south east Pickaway County or south west Fairfield County to 'take cover' as a tornado was confirmed south of Circleville, Ohio

A spokesman for Ohio Department of Transportation said tow trucks would eventually have to deal with damaged vehicles along the road.

Matt Bruning, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Transportation, said: 'We'll do a more thorough cleaning after we get lanes opened.'

Trying to clear the debris in the middle of the night was a difficult task due to darkness and downed power lines, he said.

Soon after the tornado struck the Dayton metro area, there were reports of severe, tornado-producing thunderstorms striking the same areas and multiple tornado warnings were put in place for Montgomery County.

The weather service issued several tornado warnings for cities outside Daytona and urged residents to be vigilant as the night went on.

Multiple warnings were still in place after midnight, including for Cedarville, Wilberforce and Jamestown.

In Montgomery County, Sheriff Rob Streck urged people to stay off the roads in areas affected by the storm. His office said many roads in those areas are impassable because of damage.

The Northridge High School gymnasium was opened as an emergency shelter in Dayton.

An Indiana town was also heavily damaged by storms late Monday, including reports of two tornadoes.

There were reports of several homes being completely destroyed by the devastating twister

The tornado struck the city of Trotwood, just outside Dayton, at about 11pm on Monday night

There are multiple tornado warnings currently in place for Montgomery County, which includes the city of Dayton

In Wagner Ford and Interstate 75 in Dayton, Ohio, roofs on buildings were missing, chimneys were seen lying in the road and houses were destroyed

'We do not know at this time if this was a tornado, straight-line winds or what the cause was', of damage in Pendleton, 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis, said Todd Harmeson, a spokesman for the Madison County Emergency Management Agency.

He added there are several videos on social media that show funnel clouds but that the National Weather Service will make that determination.

The devastation in Ohio comes after a week of tornadoes in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Emergency workers were shutting down gas lines and trying to get to residents trapped by debris, officials in Montgomery County said, but the exact injury toll was unclear from initial reports.

The tornado was the third in a week to rake the central US.

At least two people died and another 29 were taken to hospital in Oklahoma over the weekend when a tornado flattened a mobile home park in El Reno.

President Donald Trump, who was returning to Washington on Tuesday after a visit to Japan, tweeted that he had offered federal resources for the cleanup.

Another three died last Wednesday when a tornado packing speeds of 160 miles (260 kilometers) per hour tore through Jefferson City in Missouri.

A man walking through the devastation in Dayton, Ohio, as debris was left across the pavement and road, power lines were damaged and buildings ripped apart

What appeared to be blue lightening was seen above the sky of Dayton on Monday night