US officials have confirmed that violent storms and tornadoes across the south of the country have killed at least 16 people.
Seven people, including three children, were killed in Arkansas yesterday and two elderly sisters were killed in Oklahoma late on Thursday, authorities said.
Six of the seven fatalities in Arkansas were caused when uprooted trees smashed into houses, National Weather Service meteorologist John Robinson said.
Mr Robinson said that he could not recall a time in recent memory when so many fatalities occurred because of fallen trees in Arkansas.
Storms, some severe, are expected today from the Florida Panhandle through eastern and southern Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, according to weather.com.
The storms began late Thursday in Oklahoma, then pushed into Arkansas. By last night, tornadoes had also been reported in Mississippi and strong winds knocked down trees in Georgia.
Tornadoes kill about 70 people in the United States each year.
Reuters