At least five people have died and more than 5,000 buildings were damaged after a tornado tore through St Louis in Missouri.
The tornado swept along a major road, tearing roofs off houses, uprooting trees and knocking down power lines on Friday evening.
About 100,000 properties were left without power and the fire department said house-by-house searches were conducted in the worst-affected areas.
The US National Weather Service reported at least six other tornadoes in Missouri and neighbouring Illinois, with more severe weather conditions stretching eastwards to the Atlantic coast.
National Weather Service radar suggested the tornado touched down shortly after 14:30 local time in the west of the city close to Forest Park – home to St Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 Olympic Games.
St Louis Fire Department said three people had to be rescued after part of the nearby Centennial Christian Church collapsed. One of those people died.
A curfew was imposed from 21:00 to 06:00 local time in the two areas where most of the damage took place, to prevent injuries from debris and reduce the potential for looting.
St Louis Mayor Cara Spencer said: “Our city is grieving tonight. The loss of life and the destruction is truly, truly horrendous.
“We’re going to have a lot of work to do in the coming days. There is no doubt there, but tonight we are focused on saving lives and keeping people safe and allowing our community to grieve.”
by BBC NEWS
