Tornadoes flatten homes in US Midwest

At least seven people were injured as storms brought devastation to several Midwestern states of the US.

Twelve tornadoes - including a number that touched down in northeastern Oklahoma - damaging hail and torrential rain smashed through homes and businesses, reducing them to a pile of sticks over two nights.

The hail in Pollock, Louisiana, was the size of tennis balls. Hail this size is highly dangerous and can often smash windows and dent cars.

In Joiner, Mississippi, a gust of 129km per hour was recorded. Damaging winds were reported from Michigan to the Gulf coast and there were more than 100 reports of trees and powerlines ripped down by the winds.

• More severe weather is expected on Friday night as the system sweeps eastwards.

This time it is the southeast of the US, from Louisiana to Delaware, which is most at risk.

Isolated tornadoes, hail, damaging winds and flash flooding remain a possiblity.

Severe weather is often seen in North America at this time of year as the cold air across the region is pushed out by the mild weather from the south.

The system will slip away on Saturday but it will turn colder than the recent mild conditions after that.
Source: Al Jazeera
1/4/16