Tornadoes killed at least 21 people and injured hundreds as they ripped through the central and southeastern United States over the weekend, destroying homes, overturning cars and downing trees and power lines.
Authorities said 14 people died in Missouri, six in Oklahoma and one in Georgia as the storms tracked a course from the border of Kansas and Oklahoma on Saturday into Georgia yesterday.
Twelve people were killed and more than 150 houses were damaged in Newton County, Missouri, on the Oklahoma border, said Susie Stonner of Missouri's Emergency Management Agency.
Hardest hit was Racine, a tiny community in Newton County about 300 kilometres south of Kansas City.
The path of destruction was over a kilometre wide in some places, said Jason Schaumann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Missouri.
"This looks like a very large tornado," he said. "We've got indications of cars that were thrown a quarter to a half mile, and frame homes that were swept off their foundations."
Damage indicated an EF3 tornado, which would have estimated wind speeds of 220 to 265 km/h, he said.
Hail the size of tennis balls and wind gusts of 130 km/h were also reported in Missouri, where 85 people were injured, authorities said.
Six people were killed in the small northeastern Oklahoma town of Picher.
Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry ordered National Guard troops to help with rescue and recovery.
President George W. Bush offered prayers for families of those who died. "The federal government will be moving hard to help. I'll be in touch with the governors and offer all the federal assistance we can," Mr Bush said before boarding Air Force One at Waco, Texas