Severe weather leaves at least four dead in US South

At least four people have died after tornadoes and violent winds ripped through the US South, as a series of storms that are expected to continue for days takes hold.

The deaths were recorded in Western Tennessee and Missouri on Wednesday and early Thursday, in areas where homes were flattened and debris flew miles-high.

The toll could rise in what the National Weather Service described as “once-in-a-generation” storms in flood warnings issued on Thursday.

Dozens of severe weather alerts, including tornado watches and flash flood warnings, have been issued from Texas to Pennsylvania.

The powerful storm system will bring “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” through Saturday, the NWS said.

On Thursday, tornado warnings – the highest level alert – were issued in parts of Texas, Louisiana and West Virginia, with tornado watches in parts of Arkansas, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee.

Flash flood warnings were also in effect in Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky – where states of emergency have also been declared – and West Virginia.

Bulldozers have already been deployed in many of these areas, clearing mounds of debris and rubble amid downed powerlines.

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Tennessee, clearing the way for federal assistance and relief from FEMA.

Up to 15in (38cm) of rain is expected to fall in parts of the state by the time the storms pass. Officials say the rainfall risks overflowing Tennessee’s river banks, where multiple deaths and injuried have been reported.

The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed two weather-related fatalities so far.

Ray Garcia, chief deputy of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, told the Associated Press: “It looks like a swimming pool in my front yard.”

In Missouri, Governor Mike Dehoe has signed an executive order calling on the state’s National Guard troops to assist in the storm response.

Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Clark Parrott said at least one person was killed in the state’s south-east.

Sgt Clark said the victim, a 68-year-old man, may have stopped to help a stranded driver, according to a local news affiliate of the BBC’s media partner CBS News.

In Arkansas, railroad company BNSF said it received reports of a train derailment near the storm-battered city Bay, without specifying the cause.

A tornado near Blytheville, Arkansas, reportedly tossed debris at least 25,000ft (7.6km) above ground.

Twenty-two counties were damaged by a mix of tornadoes, wind gusts, hail and flash flooding, the state’s emergency management office said.

Mississippi’s governor said at least 60 homes were damaged.

In western Kentucky, four people were injured while sheltering in a vehicle under a church carport, the Ballard County emergency management office said.

The damage in many of these areas is expected to continue in the coming days.

Many of these areas are still reeling from deadly tornadoes, wild fires and dust storms that killed at least 40 people in mid-March.