President Barack Obama flew to the epicentre of one of the worst ever US tornado disasters today to pledge federal support for recovery after 310 people were killed by destructive twisters.
The president and his family visited the wrecked university city of Tuscaloosa in Alabama, the hardest hit of seven states that were blasted this week by tornadoes and storms that flattened whole neighborhoods. It was the worst US natural catastrophe since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In Alabama alone, 210 people lost their lives.
Approaching the airport in Tuscaloosa, Air Force One flew over the tornado strike zone, giving Mr Obama and his family a clear view of a wide brown scar of devastation several kilometres long and hundreds of yards wide.
The president is eager to show that federal relief is on its way and that he is not taking the disaster lightly. His predecessor, George W. Bush was fiercely criticised for what was viewed as a slow response to Hurricane Katrina.
Mr Obama has described the loss of life as "heartbreaking" and called the damage to homes and businesses "nothing short of catastrophic." He has declared a state of emergency for Alabama and ordered federal aid.
"I want every American who has been affected by this disaster to know that the federal government will do everything we can to help you recover, and we will stand with you as you rebuild," Mr Obama said at the White House.
Over several days this week, the powerful tornadoes - more than 160 reported in total - combined with storms to cut a swath of destruction heading west to east. It was the worst US natural disaster since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed up to 1,800 people.
In some areas, whole neighbourhoods were flattened, cars flipped over and trees and power lines felled, leaving tangled wreckage.
While rescue officials searched for survivors, some who sheltered in bathtubs, closets and basements told of miraculous escapes. "I made it. I got in a closet, put a pillow over my face and held on for dear life because it started sucking me up," said Angela Smith of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, one of the worst-hit cities.
In Birmingham, Alabama, which was also hard hit, Police Chief A.C. Roper said rescue workers sifted through rubble "hand to hand" on yesterday to pull people from destroyed homes.
"We even rescued two babies, one that was trapped in a crib when the house fell down on top of the baby," Roper said in an interview on PBS NewsHour.
Given the apparent destruction, insurance experts were wary of estimating damage costs, but believed they would run into the billions of dollars, with the worst impact concentrated in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.
Reuters