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| Search on for US tornado victims | Search on for US tornado victims |
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| Rescue crews have been searching for victims of tornadoes that tore across five US states killing at least 48 people and injuring hundreds more. | Rescue crews have been searching for victims of tornadoes that tore across five US states killing at least 48 people and injuring hundreds more. |
| The storms hit states including Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee at the end of the Super Tuesday presidential nominating votes. | The storms hit states including Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee at the end of the Super Tuesday presidential nominating votes. |
| Dozens of twisters upturned vehicles, damaged buildings and uprooted trees. | Dozens of twisters upturned vehicles, damaged buildings and uprooted trees. |
| Hundreds of thousands of people are reported to have been left without power as a result. | Hundreds of thousands of people are reported to have been left without power as a result. |
| As residents tried to salvage what they could from homes reduced to piles of debris, rescue crews went door-to-door looking for more victims. | As residents tried to salvage what they could from homes reduced to piles of debris, rescue crews went door-to-door looking for more victims. |
| 'Prayers can help' | 'Prayers can help' |
| The rare winter storms - ranking among the 15 worst tornado clusters in US history - killed at least 24 people in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and four in Alabama. | The rare winter storms - ranking among the 15 worst tornado clusters in US history - killed at least 24 people in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, seven in Kentucky and four in Alabama. |
| President Bush offered disaster relief to those affected. "Prayers can help and so can the government," he said. | President Bush offered disaster relief to those affected. "Prayers can help and so can the government," he said. |
| It just took the house and everything and my horses and my dog - I don't know if they're alive or dead Dara ReasonoverResident of Hartsville, Tennessee In pictures: Tornadoes strikeAnimated guide: Tornadoes | It just took the house and everything and my horses and my dog - I don't know if they're alive or dead Dara ReasonoverResident of Hartsville, Tennessee In pictures: Tornadoes strikeAnimated guide: Tornadoes |
| He said he had called the governors of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee to offer them the administration's help with any emergency requests. | He said he had called the governors of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee to offer them the administration's help with any emergency requests. |
| "I do want the people in those states to know the American people are standing with them," he said. | "I do want the people in those states to know the American people are standing with them," he said. |
| A couple and their 11-year-old daughter were killed when their home was destroyed by a tornado that touched down near the centre of the town of Atkins, Arkansas. | A couple and their 11-year-old daughter were killed when their home was destroyed by a tornado that touched down near the centre of the town of Atkins, Arkansas. |
| Pope County Coroner Leonard Krout said their home "took a direct hit". | Pope County Coroner Leonard Krout said their home "took a direct hit". |
| "Neighbours and friends who were there said, 'There used to be a home there'," Mr Krout told the Associated Press news agency. | "Neighbours and friends who were there said, 'There used to be a home there'," Mr Krout told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Rescuers picked their way past downed power lines to search the town in the dark for survivors. | Rescuers picked their way past downed power lines to search the town in the dark for survivors. |
| At least three people died in Atkins, Arkansas | At least three people died in Atkins, Arkansas |
| "This was an extraordinary night," said Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. "When it's compounded by darkness, that makes it that much more difficult." | "This was an extraordinary night," said Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe. "When it's compounded by darkness, that makes it that much more difficult." |
| A couple were killed with their adult daughter in their mobile home near Greenville, in western Kentucky, when a tornado went through a trailer park. | A couple were killed with their adult daughter in their mobile home near Greenville, in western Kentucky, when a tornado went through a trailer park. |
| Four more people were killed in Allen County, near the state border with Tennessee, a spokesman for the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management told AP. | Four more people were killed in Allen County, near the state border with Tennessee, a spokesman for the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management told AP. |
| 'Ripped apart' | 'Ripped apart' |
| Flames shot hundreds of feet in the air after the Columbia Gulf Natural Gas pumping station in Hartsville, Tennessee, caught fire. | Flames shot hundreds of feet in the air after the Columbia Gulf Natural Gas pumping station in Hartsville, Tennessee, caught fire. |
| Officials said it had been struck by a tornado. | Officials said it had been struck by a tornado. |
| At Union University in Jackson, western Tennessee, several students were freed after being trapped in their badly damaged dormitory. | At Union University in Jackson, western Tennessee, several students were freed after being trapped in their badly damaged dormitory. |
| Union University President David Dockery told US media that 51 students had been taken to the hospital, and nine had stayed overnight. | Union University President David Dockery told US media that 51 students had been taken to the hospital, and nine had stayed overnight. |
| A nearby resident said her home had been flattened by the storm. | 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, but we'll make it." | "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, but we'll make it." |
| In Memphis, high winds collapsed the roof of a Sears store at a shopping mall. | In Memphis, high winds collapsed the roof of a Sears store at a shopping mall. |
| Several students were trapped when a dormitory collapsed in Tennessee Tornado footage | Several students were trapped when a dormitory collapsed in Tennessee Tornado footage |
| Police said some people who took shelter under a nearby bridge were washed away, but were pulled from the Wolf River with only minor injuries. | Police said some people who took shelter under a nearby bridge were washed away, but were pulled from the Wolf River with only minor injuries. |
| In Southaven, Mississippi, a tornado wrecked warehouses in an industrial park. | In Southaven, Mississippi, a tornado wrecked warehouses in an industrial park. |
| Local police commander Steve Atkinson said: "It ripped the warehouses apart. The best way to describe it is it looks like a bomb went off." | Local police commander Steve Atkinson said: "It ripped the warehouses apart. The best way to describe it is it looks like a bomb went off." |
| Presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee interrupted their Super Tuesday speeches to express sympathy for the victims. | Presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee interrupted their Super Tuesday speeches to express sympathy for the victims. |
| Your comments: | 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, USA | 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, 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 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 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, US | 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, 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, TX | 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, TX |
| 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. |
| If you have a large file you can upload here. | If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | Do not endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |
| Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video | Click here for terms and conditions on sending photos and video |