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| Deadly US tornadoes damage south | Deadly US tornadoes damage south |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Tornadoes have killed at least 17 people in the southern US states of Alabama, Georgia and Missouri. | Tornadoes have killed at least 17 people in the southern US states of Alabama, Georgia and Missouri. |
| One ripped through a school building in Enterprise, Alabama, killing at least five people, while another hit a hospital in Georgia, killing two. | One ripped through a school building in Enterprise, Alabama, killing at least five people, while another hit a hospital in Georgia, killing two. |
| The US federal government has said it is ready to help any areas affected by the storms. | The US federal government has said it is ready to help any areas affected by the storms. |
| Parts of Alabama and Georgia remain under tornado warnings, the National Weather Service has said. | Parts of Alabama and Georgia remain under tornado warnings, the National Weather Service has said. |
| The US Storm Prediction Center (SPC) had earlier issued a rare "major severe weather outbreak" warning for the eastern third of the US. | The US Storm Prediction Center (SPC) had earlier issued a rare "major severe weather outbreak" warning for the eastern third of the US. |
| 'Major damage' | 'Major damage' |
| Alabama state emergency official Yasamie Richardson said six people had died in Enterprise - five of them at the school. | Alabama state emergency official Yasamie Richardson said six people had died in Enterprise - five of them at the school. |
| State officials had earlier put the death toll as high as 15. | State officials had earlier put the death toll as high as 15. |
| Ms Richardson said that miscommunication due to confusion at the scene was to blame for the higher number of casualties reported earlier. | Ms Richardson said that miscommunication due to confusion at the scene was to blame for the higher number of casualties reported earlier. |
| Send us your experiences In pictures: Alabama town hit 'I was just sitting and praying' | Send us your experiences In pictures: Alabama town hit 'I was just sitting and praying' |
| At least 40 people were injured as the tornado, travelling at over 50mph (80km/h), swept through Enterprise. | At least 40 people were injured as the tornado, travelling at over 50mph (80km/h), swept through Enterprise. |
| Antoinette Konz, of the local Montgomery Advertiser newspaper, told the BBC that the tornado had struck just as high school pupils were about to be sent home early. | Antoinette Konz, of the local Montgomery Advertiser newspaper, told the BBC that the tornado had struck just as high school pupils were about to be sent home early. |
| "We talked to several parents who had just pulled up to the school and walked in the door and that's when everybody told them to 'Get down, get down, get down - it's coming'. | "We talked to several parents who had just pulled up to the school and walked in the door and that's when everybody told them to 'Get down, get down, get down - it's coming'. |
| "And the next thing they knew, everything was gone." | "And the next thing they knew, everything was gone." |
| Eyewitnesses said the roof and walls of the sports hall had collapsed onto staff and pupils sheltering from the storm. | Eyewitnesses said the roof and walls of the sports hall had collapsed onto staff and pupils sheltering from the storm. |
| How a tornado is formed | How a tornado is formed |
| Alabama Governor Bob Riley has declared a state of emergency and sent 100 National Guard troops to the town. | Alabama Governor Bob Riley has declared a state of emergency and sent 100 National Guard troops to the town. |
| "Enterprise has suffered major and widespread damage," he said. | "Enterprise has suffered major and widespread damage," he said. |
| Mr Riley was expected to visit the high school on Friday to assess the impact of the tornado. | Mr Riley was expected to visit the high school on Friday to assess the impact of the tornado. |
| There was a seventh death in the town of Millers Ferry, in another part of the state. | There was a seventh death in the town of Millers Ferry, in another part of the state. |
| Whiteouts | Whiteouts |
| A suspected tornado hit the Sumter regional hospital in Americus, southern Georgia, killing two, the state's emergency management agency said. It is not clear whether the dead were patients. | A suspected tornado hit the Sumter regional hospital in Americus, southern Georgia, killing two, the state's emergency management agency said. It is not clear whether the dead were patients. |
| A seven-year-old girl is reported to have been killed in Missouri | A seven-year-old girl is reported to have been killed in Missouri |
| "Sumter County has apparently lost all its ambulances and rescue vehicles," agency spokesman Buzz Weiss said. | |
| A third person was killed in Taylor County, just to the north, Mr Weiss added. | A third person was killed in Taylor County, just to the north, Mr Weiss added. |
| Six more were reported dead in the south-west of the state, he said. No further details were given. | Six more were reported dead in the south-west of the state, he said. No further details were given. |
| A seven-year-old girl died as some of the first tornadoes touched down in Missouri around dawn on Thursday. | A seven-year-old girl died as some of the first tornadoes touched down in Missouri around dawn on Thursday. |
| Tornadoes were also reported in Arkansas and Kansas, damaging houses, mobile homes and service stations, and an electricity substation in Linn County on the Missouri-Kansas border. | Tornadoes were also reported in Arkansas and Kansas, damaging houses, mobile homes and service stations, and an electricity substation in Linn County on the Missouri-Kansas border. |
| Linn County Sheriff Marvin Stites said some people had been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter elsewhere, but that "we're still small enough where neighbour takes care of neighbour". | Linn County Sheriff Marvin Stites said some people had been forced to leave their homes and seek shelter elsewhere, but that "we're still small enough where neighbour takes care of neighbour". |
| The severe weather formed a band of storms stretching from Minnesota in the north to Louisiana on the Gulf Coast. | The severe weather formed a band of storms stretching from Minnesota in the north to Louisiana on the Gulf Coast. |
| It moved from the west, where it had already dumped several feet of snow from Washington state to Colorado, and was fuelled by moist air being sucked up from the Gulf of Mexico. | It moved from the west, where it had already dumped several feet of snow from Washington state to Colorado, and was fuelled by moist air being sucked up from the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Big snowstorms also hit Nebraska and Iowa, with whiteout conditions causing roads across Nebraska to be shut down. | Big snowstorms also hit Nebraska and Iowa, with whiteout conditions causing roads across Nebraska to be shut down. |