Disaster crews with dogs went searched for bodies today after powerful storms swept through the US state of Florida.
At least 19 people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed. It was the second-deadliest combination of thunderstorms and tornados in Florida history, cutting a 40-mile wave of destruction across four counties just before daybreak yesterday.
The storms terrorised residents of one of the nation's biggest retirement communities, and leaving trees and fields littered with clothes, furniture and splintered lumber.
Lake County spokesman Christopher Patton said there were 19 confirmed deaths, all in Lake County, about 50 miles northwest of Orlando. Numerous injuries were reported, but officials could not immediately estimate how many.
Residents helped pull the dead from the ruins. "It was scary, really scary," said Patrick Smith, who lives in the Paisley area, where at least 13 deaths were reported. He said he saw a weather alert on television, grabbed his wife and "went straight to the floor." After the storm passed, he pulled the bodies of a man and his 9- or 10-year-old son from a neighbouring house.
Homes destroyed by a tornado are seen in Paisley, Florida. Reuters
Florida's emergency management chief, Craig Fugate, said it could take several days to determine the exact number of dead, and the main priority was finding survivors who may be trapped.
Governor Charlie Crist asked President George Bush to declare a major disaster for Florida as a result of the storms. Gov Crist already declared a state of emergency in four counties, but the worst damage was reported where the twister touched down in northern Lake County and eastern Volusia County.
"Our priority today is search and rescue," said Crist, who toured the damaged area in his first natural disaster since taking office last month.
"Everything's being done to get them the aid and assistance that they need."
Officials in Lake and Volusia counties ordered dusk-to-dawn curfews in heavily damaged areas to prevent looting and injuries to residents trying to sift through wreckage in the dark.
Authorities said hundreds of houses, mobile homes and other buildings were damaged or destroyed.
AP