5 people killed in Dallas suburb in storms that produced tornado

The late Saturday deaths in Texas came as millions of residents in the southern United States struggle to recover from fierce storms and heavy flooding, with more rain in the forecast.

Eight people were killed in Garland, which was hit by what Ari Sarsalari, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel, called “a violent tornado with a long path”.

The Marion County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office said five people were killed Saturday as a major storm system brought flash flooding and blizzard conditions to parts of the United States. A twister struck around 6:45 pm (0045 GMT Sunday) in Garland, Texas, city officials said in a statement.

The agency confirmed the deaths of 10 people in Mississippi.

Urbina said the extent of the damage was still uncertain but that nearby roads had been shut due to debris and that the damage to the homes was likely extensive enough to render some “inhabitable”. The newspaper reported hundreds of people were left homeless by the nine tornadoes that struck Saturday.

An infant was reportedly among the latest casualties and officials say the majority of the deaths are believed to be road-related.

The Garland fatalities were apparently “blown off the highway by high winds”, Garland police spokesman Mike Hatfield told the Dallas Morning News.

“All I heard was the roaring of the tornado, and my mom told us to get in the bathroom”, McMillian said. “All of the street lights and highway lights are out”.

Abbott made disaster declarations for four counties on Sunday following the severe weather that killed at least 11 people.

Another one had been reported in Oklahoma, according to the US’ National Weather Service.

Boston could see some accumulation Monday night – and while the snow should remain northwest of New York City, Sunday’s expected record high temperatures in the 60s will turn into a wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain within about 24 hours. Tornado Warnings started being issued Saturday afternoon and continued into the night. The Burgans’ home was flooded by waters from the Pea river.

In New Mexico, Gov. Susana Martinez also declared a state of emergency Sunday, saying 16 inches of snow had already fallen in some parts of the state, making roads impassable.

A still aerial image from video courtesy of NBCDFW.COM shows tornado-damaged houses and vehicles in Rowlett, Texas, on December 27, 2015. Flash flooding was expected from Oklahoma to IL and more than a foot of snow may fall from Roswell, New Mexico, to the Texas panhandle.

Local officials in a town outside Dallas sent out 4 alerts in the minutes before the tornadoes hit, warning people to take cover. Ten people have died in MS, and six died in Tennessee.

“A variety of unsafe weather conditions will continue across the middle of the country through Sunday”, the National Weather Service said. In Amarillo, people have been facing blizzard conditions.

“Dangerous flooding will extend from north Texas to central IL”, it said. The service has issued tornado watches and warnings for areas in that state, as well as in parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.