US Tornado Kills 10 in Mississipi

Five people died in Choctaw County - two of them children - while four of the other deaths were in Yazoo County and one was in Holmes County. Photo by weather.com

A tornado has hit the south-eastern US state of Mississippi, killing at least 10 people, including children.

There was "utter obliteration" in Yazoo County, where three people died, the state governor said. A state of emergency was declared in 17 counties.

A church in Yazoo City was flattened and houses reduced to rubble. The nearby states of Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama were also hit by tornadoes.

Officials fear the death toll may rise as more debris is cleared.

The National Guard has been deployed to help in the search and rescue operation.

Power lines have been blown down and roads are blocked by fallen trees after a tornado estimated to be almost a mile (1,6 km) wide blew through the centre of Mississippi. Meteorologists put wind speeds at about 240 kph.

The storms brought heavy rain to some areas.

Five people died in Choctaw County - two of them children - while four of the other deaths were in Yazoo County and one was in Holmes County.

Four injured people were flown by helicopter from Yazoo County to hospital in the state capital, Jackson, for treatment.

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