Week of severe weather claims 43 lives nationwide

At least 43 people have died in recent days from Texas to Illinois to the Southeast as severe weather brought tornadoes, blizzard conditions and flooding across the nation.

On Sunday, the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, Texas, confirmed 11 people died after tornadoes touched down in the Dallas area. An infant was among those killed, according to the Dallas Morning News. The newspaper reported nine tornadoes struck Saturday and left hundreds of people homeless.

In the nearby city of Garland, Texas, officials said an EF-4 tornado touched down around 6:45 p.m. Saturday. The designation, the second highest used by NWS, indicates winds reached more than 166 mph and left behind devastating damage.

"This is a huge impact on our community, and we're all suffering," Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau told The Associated Press.

Of the 11 confirmed dead in the Dallas area, officials said eight died in Garland. An estimated 600 buildings were damaged, most of them single-family homes, and 15 others suffered injuries, according to the city. Three others died in nearby Collin County, county officials said.

The storm system that produced the tornadoes also brought freezing temperatures into the region, closing down multiple snow-covered roads. According to CNN, Dallas had a high of 82 degrees Saturday. That dropped to 41 degrees Sunday, with freezing temperatures expected Monday.

Flooding in Missouri and Illinois claimed 13 lives Sunday, according to The Associated Press. The victims included four "international soldiers" who died after they attempted to drive on a flooded roadway. The soldiers were training at the Fort Leonard Wood Army base, Pulaski County Sheriff Ronald Long told The Associated Press.

In Oklahoma, eight people reportedly suffered injuries related to a storm system which brought blizzard conditions to the state. Authorities did not say how serious the injuries were.

The deaths and injuries come just days after dangerous storms slammed the nation's midsection on Dec. 23. Dozens of people suffered injuries after a severe weather system brought tornadoes and severe flooding to the region. Authorities said that since Dec. 23, at least 19 people have died of weather-related injuries in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas.

According to the National Weather Service, a major winter storm system will continue to bring freezing conditions to areas spanning from the Rocky Mountains to the Midwest through at least Tuesday. Weather conditions are expected to stabilize after that, although forecasters warned flooding will likely remain a lingering issue.