Tornado and flooding kill six as storms cross US south

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Emergency crews gather at the scene after a storm ripped through a mobile home killing several people in Rehobeth, Alabama, on January 2, 2017.Image source, Jay Hare/Dothan Eagle via AP
Image caption,

Emergency crews rushed to the scene after a mobile home was crushed by a probable tornado in Rehobeth, Alabama

Four people have been killed by a suspected tornado in Rehobeth, Alabama, after violent storms brought a tree down on their mobile home.

Three others who were in the trailer escaped uninjured, local media report.

In Florida, a 70-year-old man was found dead after flooding. A woman in Georgia was the sixth reported death from the storms.

Bad weather has been battering the US south, leaving thousands without power in Louisiana and Mississippi on Monday.

The car of the Florida man, William Patrick Corley, was found partially submerged near the Shoal River in Mossy Head.

The local sheriff's office said Mr Corley's death was being investigated, but no foul play was suspected.

The National Weather Service has identified storms in central Mississippi near Mendenhall and Mount Olive as tornadoes, based in part on radar signatures.

Both squalls had damaged homes and farm buildings.

Image source, EPA
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In East Point, Georgia, a large tree hit a home and several cars as thunderstorms passed through

Image source, AFP Photo /NOAA/NASA Goes Project
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This satellite image taken on 3 January shows storm activity over the southeastern US states

More rain warnings were in place for Tuesday, affecting southern Alabama, southwest Georgia and Florida.

But by late morning, the worst of the weather appeared to have passed over as the weather system headed for the Atlantic Ocean.

Southern Alabama and Mississippi have received over eight inches (20cm) of rain since Saturday.

In Louisiana, the Beauregard and Allen areas sustained fairly serious damage, while wind also caused destruction in Houston and throughout East Texas.

Image caption,

A belt of bad weather has moved across several states, bringing hail, rain and storm winds