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Search on for US tornado victims Tornado clear-up under way in US
(about 1 hour later)
Rescue crews have been searching for victims of tornadoes that tore across five US states killing at least 55 people and injuring hundreds more. People have been returning to what remains of their homes after tornadoes left a trail of destruction across five southern US states.
Dozens of twisters hit Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi at the end of the Super Tuesday presidential nominating votes. Fifty-five people died and hundreds were injured as dozens of twisters hit Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi.
The storms upturned vehicles, damaged buildings, uprooted trees and left thousands of people without power. Thousands of people were left without power by the high winds.
President George W Bush has offered aid and will visit Tennessee on Friday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has sent teams to the worst affected areas.
President George W Bush will visit Tennessee - the worst affected state, where 31 people died - on Friday.
It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground Phil BredesenGovernor of Tennessee In pictures: The aftermathAnimated guide: TornadoesSend us your comments
The winter storms - which were among the worst tornado clusters in US history - also killed 13 people in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and four in Alabama.
They left behind flattened streets, wrecked mobile homes, overturned vehicles, and uprooted trees.
Mr Bush has promised to do what he could to help.
"Loss of life, loss of property - prayers can help and so can the government," he said."Loss of life, loss of property - prayers can help and so can the government," he said.
"I do want the people in those states to know the American people are standing with them.""I do want the people in those states to know the American people are standing with them."
Difficult rescue 'Amazing'
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) has sent teams to the affected areas and set up an emergency centre in Georgia.
It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground Phil BredesenGovernor of Tennessee In pictures: The aftermathAnimated guide: TornadoesSend us your comments
The winter storms - which were among the worst tornado clusters in US history - killed at least 31 people in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and four in Alabama.
As survivors tried to salvage what they could from the hundreds of destroyed homes, rescue crews went door-to-door looking for more victims.
Their efforts were hampered, however, by downed power lines, broken trees and overturned vehicles.
Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said he was shocked by the scale of the Tuesday's storms, which "just literally sat on the ground in wide areas", leaving a trail of destruction up to 400 miles (643km) wide.Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said he was shocked by the scale of the Tuesday's storms, which "just literally sat on the ground in wide areas", leaving a trail of destruction up to 400 miles (643km) wide.
Students were trapped when dormitories collapsed in Tennessee Tornado footage
"It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground," he told reporters as he observed the damage from a helicopter."It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground," he told reporters as he observed the damage from a helicopter.
Sympathy As survivors attempt to salvage possessions from their wrecked homes, remarkable stories of survival emerged.
The latest deaths to have been reported were in Tennessee's Sumner County, where two victims were found outside a house that had been blown away. In Castalian Springs, Tennessee, a baby was discovered unscathed in a field after lying there for several hours after his mother was killed.
Nearby, a mother was found dead some 250 yards away from her 11-month-old boy, who survived and is said to be in a good condition. At Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, students helped free classmates trapped in the rubble of two campus dormitories which collapsed in the high winds.
Several students were trapped when a dormitory collapsed in Tennessee href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7230000/newsid_7230200?redirect=7230231.stm&news=1&bbram=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&bbwm=1&asb=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;"> Tornado footage Fifty-one students were treated in hospital, some with extensive injuries, but no-one was killed.
In Atkins, Arkansas, a couple and their 11-year-old daughter were killed when their home was destroyed by a tornado. "It's an amazing thing," university president David Dockery told reporters.
A couple and their adult daughter were killed near Greenville, in western Kentucky, when a tornado went through a trailer park.
Four more people were killed in Allen County, near the border with Tennessee.
Flames shot hundreds of feet in the air after the Columbia Gulf Natural Gas pumping station in Hartsville, Tennessee, was struck by a tornado.
At Union University in Jackson, western Tennessee, several students were freed after being trapped in their badly damaged dormitory. Dozens were taken to hospital.
A nearby resident said her home had been flattened by the storm.
"It just took the house and everything and my horses and my dog," Dara Reasonover told CNN. "I don't know if they're alive or dead."
In Memphis, the roof of a Sears store collapsed.
Presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee interrupted their Super Tuesday speeches to express sympathy for the victims.
Have you or anybody you know been affected by the storms? Use the form below to send us your accounts, some of which may be published.Have you or anybody you know been affected by the storms? Use the form below to send us your accounts, some of which may be published.
You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via mobile please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100. You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via mobile please dial +44 (0)7725 100 100.
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Read a selection of your comments:Read a selection of your comments:
There were numerous severe weather warnings on TV but i did not think it would get this bad. For most of the day the weather was normal but around 8pm the wind started blowing ferociously. All of a sudden we could hear sirens and we were ordered to the ground floor of our dormitory. After about half an hour it quickly became calm again. Luckily for us Arkansas State University was not damaged.Macnos Mutano, Jonesboro, USAThere were numerous severe weather warnings on TV but i did not think it would get this bad. For most of the day the weather was normal but around 8pm the wind started blowing ferociously. All of a sudden we could hear sirens and we were ordered to the ground floor of our dormitory. After about half an hour it quickly became calm again. Luckily for us Arkansas State University was not damaged.Macnos Mutano, Jonesboro, USA
We are in Starkville, Mississippi and are getting hit by the severe weather really bad right now and I'm surprised that we still have power and internet capabilities. It is unknown how bad the aftermath of the storm will be until the sun rises. We are still fearful of tornadoes here. Please keep us in your intentions.Trevor Caulkins, Starkville, Mississippi USAWe are in Starkville, Mississippi and are getting hit by the severe weather really bad right now and I'm surprised that we still have power and internet capabilities. It is unknown how bad the aftermath of the storm will be until the sun rises. We are still fearful of tornadoes here. Please keep us in your intentions.Trevor Caulkins, Starkville, Mississippi USA
I live in Jackson, Tennessee, and watched the tornado as it passed less than a half-mile from where I was standing. There are 8 students still trapped in the University, as one of the dormitories has collapsed. As well as 50 elderly trapped inside a retirement home that collapsed. It has definitely been a terrifying night. Trees, buildings, power lines, street lights...they are down all over the place. Meaghan, Jackson, Tennessee, USI live in Jackson, Tennessee, and watched the tornado as it passed less than a half-mile from where I was standing. There are 8 students still trapped in the University, as one of the dormitories has collapsed. As well as 50 elderly trapped inside a retirement home that collapsed. It has definitely been a terrifying night. Trees, buildings, power lines, street lights...they are down all over the place. Meaghan, Jackson, Tennessee, US
A friend's mother was hiding in a bathtub in Jackson, TN. We have not heard from her as of this time because phone lines are down. This is not the first time for tornadoes to rip through that area. The Main Street was destroyed a few years back in the same town.Vloxy, Dallas, TXA friend's mother was hiding in a bathtub in Jackson, TN. We have not heard from her as of this time because phone lines are down. This is not the first time for tornadoes to rip through that area. The Main Street was destroyed a few years back in the same town.Vloxy, Dallas, TX
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