US storms, tornadoes kill 25 in Alabama alone

Tornadoes and storms lashed the US South, leading to 25 deaths in Alabama alone over a 24 hour period, state authorities said.

The deaths occurred across the northern and central parts of the state and nine people were also injured, said Valerie Hayes of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

"I can confirm the 25 deaths in Alabama were related to today's weather," she said.

The thunderstorm that produced a tornado in Tuscaloosa in western Alabama was still producing a tornado-force winds three hours later in northwestern Georgia, said Josh Nagelberg, a meteorologist on the AccuWeather.com website.

"This could be the worst tornado in Alabama's history," Nagelberg said, adding that by 9 p.m. local time 0200 gmt the twister passed within a few miles of Rome in northwestern Georgia and appeared to be weakening.

The storms also forced the Tennessee Valley Authority to close three nuclear power plants in Alabama and knocked out 11 high voltage power lines.

Governors in Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee declared a state of emergency and in Mississippi, Governor Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency for 39 counties.

Earlier, authorities put the death toll across the South at 25 over a three day period, a figure that included 11 deaths in Arkansas, six in Alabama, five in Mississippi, two in Louisiana and one in Tennessee.