Tornadoes and heavy rains sweeping across the United States from the southern Plains into New Jersey will ease later this week but resume early next, forecasters said.

Rain, hail, thunderstorms and the threat of tornadoes will return from east Texas, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri and on into Illinois and parts of the East Coast, David Roth, a forecaster with the National Weather Service (NWS), said.

"You can't catch a break," he added. "Or at least not for long. It'll clear up Friday, Saturday and Sunday."

Several tornadoes reportedly touched down on Tuesday evening in Kansas, damaging homes, uprooting trees and ripping down power lines, NWS said.

About a dozen people were reported injured in Douglas County, Kansas, according to the sheriff's Office. The extent of the injuries was not yet known.

California storms Show all 14 1 /14 California storms California storms Water rushes down the stairs of a house near a mudslide that destroyed three homes on a hillside in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, filling normally dry creeks and rivers with muddy torrents, flooding roadways and forcing residents to flee their homes in communities scorched by wildfires. (AP Photo/Michael Short) (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms Cars and a large tree are seen in a debris trail in the aftermath of a mudslide that destroyed three homes on a hillside in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. The National Weather Service says the atmospheric river sagged southward from Northern California overnight and is pointed at the southwestern corner of the state early Thursday. (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms Southern Marin Fire Department members search a crushed house in the aftermath of a mudslide that destroyed three homes on a hillside in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, filling normally dry creeks and rivers with muddy torrents, flooding roadways and forcing residents to flee their homes in communities scorched by wildfires. (AP Photo/Michael Short) (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms Firefighter/paramedic Patrick Young with the Southern Marin Fire Department looks out over the aftermath of a mudslide that destroyed three homes on a hillside in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. The National Weather Service says the atmospheric river sagged southward from Northern California overnight and is pointed at the southwestern corner of the state early Thursday. (AP Photo/Michael Short) (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms A fallen tree that was knocked down by recent severe weather lies in the Horseshoe Bay parking lot in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, filling normally dry creeks and rivers with muddy torrents, flooding roadways and forcing residents to flee their homes in communities scorched by wildfires. (AP Photo/Michael Short) (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms Southern Marin Fire Department members search a crushed house in the aftermath of a mudslide that destroyed three homes on a hillside in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, filling normally dry creeks and rivers with muddy torrents, flooding roadways and forcing residents to flee their homes in communities scorched by wildfires. (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms Southern Marin Fire Department members search a crushed house in the aftermath of a mudslide that destroyed three homes on a hillside in Sausalito, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, filling normally dry creeks and rivers with muddy torrents, flooding roadways and forcing residents to flee their homes in communities scorched by wildfires. (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms A truck drives over a flooded freeway underpass in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. The National Weather Service says the atmospheric river sagged southward from Northern California overnight and is pointed at the southwestern corner of the state early Thursday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) California storms A Caltrans work crew removes debris near a flooded lane from under a freeway in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. The National Weather Service says the atmospheric river sagged southward from Northern California overnight and is pointed at the southwestern corner of the state early Thursday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) California storms A Caltrans work crew removes debris near a flooded lane from under a freeway in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. The National Weather Service says the atmospheric river sagged southward from Northern California overnight and is pointed at the southwestern corner of the state early Thursday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu) California storms Water from recent heavy rain storms breeches a levee in Novato, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, flooding streets, triggering a mudslide that destroyed homes and forcing residents to flee communities scorched by wildfires last year. (AP Photo/Terry Chea) California storms Water from recent heavy rain storms breech a levee and flows under railroad tracks in Novato, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. Waves of heavy rain pounded California on Thursday, flooding streets, triggering a mudslide that destroyed homes and forcing residents to flee communities scorched by wildfires last year. (AP Photo/Michael Short) California storms Stormy Daniels (C), the porn star who claims to have slept with US President Donald Trump over a decade ago, opens Berlin erotic fair "Venus" in Berlin on October 11, 2018. TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP/Getty Images) California storms A truck drives over a flooded freeway underpass in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. The National Weather Service says the atmospheric river sagged southward from Northern California overnight and is pointed at the southwestern corner of the state early Thursday. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

The latest wave came a day after twisters pulverised buildings in western Ohio, killing one person, injuring scores and triggering a recovery effort in neighbourhoods strewn with wreckage.

About 20 tornadoes, including a large rain-wrapped twister near Kansas City, were reported to the NWS by storm chasers and spotters. News broadcasts showed roofs torn off homes and roads scattered with debris and tree limbs.

Survey teams will be sent out to assess the damage and determine the strength of the storms, an official at the NWS in Topeka, Kansas, said.

Kansas City International Airport said on Twitter travellers found shelter in parking garages as the storms passed the airfield Tuesday night. The airport later said it was closed as crews cleared debris.

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More than 300 tornadoes have torn through the Midwest in the last two weeks. The latest storms follow tornadoes and floods that killed at least three people in Missouri and six people in Oklahoma the week before, including two in El Reno over the weekend.

Two tornadoes also struck late on Monday near Dayton, including one just south of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Ohio Department of Transportation crews used snow ploughs to clear highways of debris.

Nearly 80 people in and around Dayton went to hospitals with injuries, said Elizabeth Long, a spokeswoman for the Kettering Health Network.

"We've had injuries ranging from lacerations to bumps and bruises from folks being thrown around in their houses," Ms Long said.

Rainfall could trigger flash flooding on Tuesday evening in parts of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa, said Brian Hurley, a senior NWS meteorologist.