MAGEE, Miss. – An earthquake rattled parts of central Mississippi on Saturday as the state endured an outbreak of tornadoes. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the magnitude 3.0 quake hit at about 1:50 p.m. CT nearly 6 miles east-northeast of Magee. That’s about 40 miles to the southeast of Jackson, the state capital.

Violent tornadoes ripped through parts of the U.S., wiping out schools and toppling semitractor-trailers in several states.

At least 37 people were killed as a sprawling storm barreled across the nation’s midsection toward the East Coast.

A powerful storm system that tore across the United States in recent days is winding down Monday, but in its wake are devastated communities across states hit with violent tornadoes, wildfires and dust storms spun off by the massive system.

Parts of Mississippi could face tornadoes with winds in excess of 200 miles per hour along with hail over 2 inches wide on Saturday.

Jeff Smitherman, the director of an Alabama emergency management agency, joins ABC News live to discuss the high-risk alert for potential tornado outbreaks in Alabama and Mississippi.

Three people are confirmed dead following a tornado outbreak in Alabama. Two people died in Plantersville and one person died in Winterboro. Sign up for our Newsletters. Video abo