Severe Storm And Tornadoes Kill 10 In Mid-South

Severe storms rattled mid-south spurning tornadoes that left at least 10 people dead across three southern US states on Wednesday.

Reuters reported that at least 20 tornadoes have ravaged Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Michigan. Among the largest of the tornadoes was reported in Mississippi which is said to have damaged more than 100 homes in its wake. Officials are verifying if tornado is still on the ground after Governor Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency. The destruction came to light Thursday morning.

Weather experts expressed surprise that high intensity tornadoes had struck during December.

"To have long-track tornadoes in December in the Memphis forecast area is an unusual event. We typically don't have tornadoes of that intensity that impact the area, but we're dealing with this unusually warm weather pattern and all of the ingredients came together to support that," Jonathan Howell, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said according to The New York Times.

USA Today reported heavy rains lashing Georgia which resulted in flash floods even as flood watches have been announced across much of Eastern US stretching up to Maryland.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center warned of thunderstorms stretching from east Texas to northern Mississippi. Though the storm showed signs of weakening, there was a risk of brief tornado during midnight, the center warned.