At least 11 killed in Texas storms that spawned tornadoes

Eight people are reported to have been killed in Texas in new tornadoes, raising the death toll to 26 in a week of storms in several USA states.

Meanwhile, 11 died in Texas after several tornadoes were reported in the Dallas area, causing widespread damage to homes and buildings and sending dozens to the hospital.

Garland city officials confirmed five people died after a tornado hit the intersection of President George Bush Turnpike and I-30 around 6:45 p.m.

Three additional deaths were reported in Collin County, said Chris Havey, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

Tornado warnings in the North Texas area were issued Saturday afternoon and continued through the night as the risky weather descended on parts of Collin, Dallas and Ellis Counties.

Southern states were still cleaning up from tornadoes earlier this week that killed at least 15 people in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

The full extent of damage along a almost 40-mile stretch close to Dallas was becoming clear Sunday: As many as 1,450 homes damaged or destroyed, local officials estimated, as well as mangled vehicles, downed power lines and toppled trees. The NWS says this is only the second tornado of that strength to strike Dallas County since 1950. Temperatures in the eastern third of the country could set numerous records highs Sunday, Rubin-Oster said.

The National Weather Service in Dallas-Fort Worth determined Sunday that the destruction left behind in hard-hit Garland was the work of an EF-4 tornado, which typically has wind gusts of between 166 and 200 miles per hour.

“I think everyone understands now the gravity of what happened”, Anita Foster, spokeswoman for American Red Cross of North Texas, said on WFAA. At least three people who died were found in vehicles, said Barineau, who also noted that some cars appeared to be thrown from the interstate, though it wasn’t known whether that was the case for the people found in the vehicles.

The game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls was delayed Saturday because of reports of tornadoes.

US post-holiday travelers can expect a mix of stormy weather this weekend, with blizzard conditions in New Mexico and western Texas, while flooding rain hits the southern plains from south Texas through in, forecasters said on Saturday.

“Dangerous flooding will extend from north Texas to central IL”, it said.

Oklahoma is seeing a range of precipitation, from blowing and drifting snow in the Panhandle to heavy, flood-inducing rains in the east part of the state. Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant and Georgia counterpart Nathan also declared states of emergency in counties affected by the weather.

A day after fatal tornadoes and summer-like temperatures in the Dallas area, the immediate forecast called for freezing weather and snow, and the National Weather Service reported quarter-size hail south of the city.

Since Saturday, a tornado warning has been declared in at least 10 USA states.

Flash flooding closed roads across Alabama and trapped motorists in rapidly rising waters.

The flooding is the result of heavy downpours that have thrashed the southeastern USA since Wednesday, bringing record rainfalls in some areas.

“Streams turn into rivers, and people sometimes don’t see the road has flooded over when they are driving at night”, Long said.

In Minnesota, four people died in a weather-related auto accident in Aitkin County, State Trooper Lt. Tiffani Nielson said.