Tornadoes Kill At Least 47 People Across US South

Tornadoes tore across parts of the southern United States Tuesday, killing at least 47 people and causing widespread damage.

President Bush extended his condolences Wednesday to those affected by the tornadoes and said his administration will assist those areas.

At least 24 people died in the state of Tennessee, including five outside the city of Nashville. A shopping mall in Memphis sustained major damage, while several students at a college in the nearby city of Jackson were trapped for several hours after a storm destroyed their dormitory.

The twisters killed at least 13 people in Arkansas, including at least nine in the small town of Atkins. At least seven are dead in Kentucky and three in Alabama from the storms.

The tornadoes injured hundreds of other people, and destroyed or damaged many homes and businesses.

Tornadoes, wind damage and hail also were reported in the states of Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

by VOA News

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