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US Storms: At Least 14 Dead in Trail Of Destruction

A clear-up has begun after a violent storm left at least 14 people dead and destroyed homes in several US South and Midwest states on Christmas Eve.

US Storms 14 Dead in Trail

Mississippi was worst hit, with seven people dead, while six others were killed in Tennessee.

A seven-year-old boy, who was inside a car picked up and tossed in the storm, was among the dead.

At least 20 tornadoes have been reported, knocking down trees and leaving thousands without power.

Search teams have been combing through damaged buildings in the affected states, the situation complicated by the fact many people may be away for Christmas.

“Santa brought us a good one, didn’t he?” said Bobby Watkins in rural Benton County, Mississippi.

One large tornado reportedly touched land in Mississippi and tore a path more than 100 miles (160 km) long to Tennessee.

A state of emergency has been declared by the Mississippi governor.

In Georgia, the heavy rain caused flash floods and a landslide, jamming roads with traffic.

The threat of tornadoes eased as the line of storms moved east on Thursday, but heavy rain and thunderstorms still caused flooding and travel chaos in Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas.

The National Weather Service warned severe storms and heavy rains were also possible in Oklahoma, Arkansans, Texas and Louisiana over the weekend in its latest update.

While extreme weather in the US before Christmas is not unknown, meteorologists say that unseasonably high temperatures contributed to the severity of the storm. Homeowners may take this time to conduct residential roof leak repairs with the help of professional roofers before they get worse or even cause severe property damage when the storms hit. Early water leak detection can make a big difference in how much damage it makes to not only the ceiling but whatever might be right under the leak.

One year ago a tornado hit south-eastern Mississippi, killing five people and injuring dozens more.

A storm on Christmas Day in 2012 which included several tornadoes damaged homes from Texas to Alabama.

Tony Williams
Tony Williams
Tony Williams is a seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience covering a wide range of topics, from local news to international events. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for uncovering the truth, Tony has won numerous awards for his investigative reporting. He holds a degree in journalism from the University of California and has worked for several top-tier newspapers. Tony is known for his tenacity and commitment to delivering high-quality journalism to his readers, and he is widely respected in the industry for his integrity and professionalism.
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