US storm triggers deadly tornadoes

At least nine people have been killed by tornadoes as ahuge storm system swept across the central and southern United States.Eight of the victims were in the northern suburbs of Little Rock in Arkansas, a state official said.One other person was killed in the town of Quapaw in the north-east of Oklahomawhere officials said many buildings were badly damaged.Tornadoes also struck in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri, according to the(BBC).Ottawa County Emergency Management director Joe Dan Morgan said Quapaw,which has a population of about 900, was badly damaged by the tornado.The tornado then headed northwards into the state of Kansas where it struck BaxterSprings, injuring several people and causing extensive damage.The Arkansas tornado touched down about 10 miles about (16km) west of the city ofLittle Rock and left a 40 mile about (65km) path of destruction. It is said to have passed through several northern suburbs – including the town ofMayflower where it destroyed several buildings.Matt DeCample, a spokesman for Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, said eight peoplehad been killed north of Little Rock – four in Faulkner County, three in PulaskiCounty and one in White County.A witness in Mayflower reported a tornado half a mile wide crossing Interstate 40on Sunday evening, the National Weather Service said.Over the weekend, storms struck the eastern part of the US, killing a child in NorthCarolina.