Tornadoes, wild weather slamming Texas

At least four people were killed in Garland, Texas, during Saturday’s outbreak of storms, police spokesman Mike Hatfield tells CNN.

The region is in for more bad weather today, with a storm expected to drop up to 40 centimetres of snow on West Texas and much of New Mexico.

Severe weather could hit Texas again today as there was a risk of risky storms, including a likely strong tornadic episode in the eastern part of the state as well as western Louisiana.

In Alabama, where Governor Robert Bentley has declared a state of emergency to deal with the heavy flooding, tornadoes on Friday uprooted trees and tore off rooftops, with one touching down in Birmingham, the state’s most populous city.

The Texas tornadoes followed days of tumultuous weather in the Southeast including unusual winter tornadoes that left 18 people dead there over the Christmas holiday period. Tornadoes are possible, and residents are asked to remain alert. “It’s like a nightmare”, said a sobbing resident of Rowlett, in the north of Texas.

“Doors began to turn inward, when I saw that I figured the glass was going to shatter and hit me in the face, so I broke and ran down the hallway and by the time I got just a few feet everything collapsed and went dark and fell on top of me”, he said, adding, “by the grace of God I’m here though”. Cruz Hernandez said several people were injured although the exact number was known.

Officials in Benton County, Mississippi, on Saturday found the bodies of a man and woman who were missing since being caught in a tornado on Wednesday, said Greg Flynn, spokesman for Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.

The Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was closed for about an hour after the National Weather Service in Fort Worth reported a tornado south of Dallas. Images uploaded to social media showed a massive tornado near Rowlett and at least one destroyed structure. Thousands in the area were placed under flash flood and tornado warnings.

Injuries were also reported at a Garland apartment complex. High winds will drive wind chills as low as 10 below zero and cause low visibility due to blowing and drifting snow.

The Weather Service said at least one tornado struck south of Dallas in Ellis County, where Emergency Management Coordinator Stephanie Parker said: “We have destroyed and damaged homes”.

Earlier, six people were killed in Tennessee, including three who were found in a auto submerged in a creek, according to the Columbia Police Department.

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

It killed five people, injured dozens more and caused untold damage to property and infrastructure.

Flooding was reported across the St. Louis area Saturday, and several people had to be rescued from the rising waters.

Between 6 to 15 inches of snow are in the forecast for the region, which includes Amarillo and Lubbock.

Police reported a fifth fatality in Garland, but details were not immediately available.

Information for this article was contributed by Nomaan Merchant Chevel Johnson, Jonathan Landrum, Dylan Lovan and staff members of The Associated Press, staff members of Arkansas Online and by The Dallas Morning News.