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| Tornado flattens town in Kansas | Tornado flattens town in Kansas |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A tornado has killed at least nine people and flattened much of a small town in southern Kansas, officials say. | |
| More than 60 people were injured when the tornado - said to be up to a mile wide - hit the town of Greensburg. | More than 60 people were injured when the tornado - said to be up to a mile wide - hit the town of Greensburg. |
| More than 90% of the 1,600-population town has been destroyed, including the hospital and schools as well as homes, Red Cross officials said. | More than 90% of the 1,600-population town has been destroyed, including the hospital and schools as well as homes, Red Cross officials said. |
| Meteorological officials are warning of more severe weather to come for America's mid-west on Saturday. | Meteorological officials are warning of more severe weather to come for America's mid-west on Saturday. |
| A tornado warning has been issued for Nebraska, north of Kansas. | A tornado warning has been issued for Nebraska, north of Kansas. |
| Greensburg, around 120 miles (200km) west of Wichita, received a direct hit by the tornado late on Friday. | Greensburg, around 120 miles (200km) west of Wichita, received a direct hit by the tornado late on Friday. |
| You could hear the top half of our house start tearing up Greensburg resident href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6620000/newsid_6628800?redirect=6628837.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1">Aftermath of tornado | |
| Residents are being evacuated and the National Guard brought in to provide security as rescue efforts continue. | Residents are being evacuated and the National Guard brought in to provide security as rescue efforts continue. |
| Many people are feared to be still trapped in basement shelters, City Administrator Steve Hewitt said. He warned the death toll could rise. | Many people are feared to be still trapped in basement shelters, City Administrator Steve Hewitt said. He warned the death toll could rise. |
| "This is a huge catastrophe for this small town," he told a news conference. "My home's gone, my staff's homes are gone. | "This is a huge catastrophe for this small town," he told a news conference. "My home's gone, my staff's homes are gone. |
| "We've got to find a way to get this to work and come to work every day and get this thing back on its feet. It's going to be tough." | "We've got to find a way to get this to work and come to work every day and get this thing back on its feet. It's going to be tough." |
| Pulled from rubble | Pulled from rubble |
| Residents said warning sirens went off 20 minutes before the tornado struck, giving them a chance to get to storm shelters. | Residents said warning sirens went off 20 minutes before the tornado struck, giving them a chance to get to storm shelters. |
| The fierce storm ripped homes from their foundations and even damaged basement shelters. | The fierce storm ripped homes from their foundations and even damaged basement shelters. |
| "You could hear the top half of our house start tearing up," one man said. "We were under a bed in the basement. We were just fine, but windows were breaking and smashing." | "You could hear the top half of our house start tearing up," one man said. "We were under a bed in the basement. We were just fine, but windows were breaking and smashing." |
| One of the few buildings still standing is the courthouse. The city hall, schools, businesses as well as homes were destroyed. | One of the few buildings still standing is the courthouse. The city hall, schools, businesses as well as homes were destroyed. |
| At least six people died in Kiowa County, where Greensburg is located, and one in a neighbouring county, Kansas officials said. | At least six people died in Kiowa County, where Greensburg is located, and one in a neighbouring county, Kansas officials said. |
| Emergency teams from across Kansas raced to Greensburg to help the survivors. | Emergency teams from across Kansas raced to Greensburg to help the survivors. |
| Thirty survivors were reported to have been pulled from the rubble of the town's partially-collapsed hospital. | Thirty survivors were reported to have been pulled from the rubble of the town's partially-collapsed hospital. |
| Red Cross officials were using school buses to take people to shelters in nearby towns. | Red Cross officials were using school buses to take people to shelters in nearby towns. |
| The National Weather Service described the tornado as a "wedge", a particularly wide formation carrying winds of up to 250mph (400km/h). | The National Weather Service described the tornado as a "wedge", a particularly wide formation carrying winds of up to 250mph (400km/h). |
| Storm chaser Darin Brunin told CNN that the tornado appeared to be at least a mile wide. | Storm chaser Darin Brunin told CNN that the tornado appeared to be at least a mile wide. |
| "A big tornado like that, that moves slower, it can tend to do a lot more damage because it's over an area for a longer amount of time," he said. | "A big tornado like that, that moves slower, it can tend to do a lot more damage because it's over an area for a longer amount of time," he said. |
| Are you a resident of Greensburg? Do you know anyone affected by the tornado? Use the form below to send us details. | Are you a resident of Greensburg? Do you know anyone affected by the tornado? Use the form below to send us details. |