Is the most affected state of Alabama, with 131 dead.Damage was massive, said the governor.
The death toll from storms and tornadoes on Wednesday in the U.S. rose to 214, officials said on Thursday (28). There are dead in six states.
The most serious situation is in Alabama, with 131 dead. The governor said the state has suffered a "massive destruction of property."
Robert Bentley said the death toll to rise. He declared a state of "extreme emergency" and ordered federal aid to cope with the disaster.
In addition to Alabama, there are also killed in Mississippi (32), Tennessee (19), Georgia (13), Virginia (8) and Kentucky (1).
Authorities fear that the press and the number of victims grows.
The authorities declared a state of emergency in seven states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Oklahoma.
In all, the governors called out the National Guard to help in rescue operations and cleanliness.
Of a total of 50 states, 21 were affected by storms in a region stretching from the Great Lakes in the far north, to the Gulf of Mexico in the south.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has indicated that more than 300 tornadoes had been reported since last Friday, more than 130 on Wednesday.
President Obama ordered the government to "act quickly" in Alabama. He should visit the affected areas in Alabama on Friday, according to the White House.
Tornado approaching Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday (27) (Photo: AP Photo / The Tuscaloosa News, Dusty Compton) Tornado approaching Tuscaloosa, Ala., on Wednesday (27) (Photo: AP Photo / The Tuscaloosa News, Dusty Compton)
The Alabama was the state hardest hit, swept by two lines of storms and a tornado that turned the city into ruins from Tuscaloosa, home of the University of Alabama.
Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox, told CNN that the tornado was "obliterated blocks and blocks" of the city, killing 36 people.
"Our infrastructure was absolutely devastated," he added. "When I see this trail of destruction in about five to seven miles (8 to 11 km) long by half or a mile wide, I do not know how anyone survived."
"There are parts of town that do not recognize (...). It is a tragic moment for our city," lamented Maddox.
A tornado also caused extensive damage in the city of Birmingham, but authorities still do not measure the damage.
"This was a very serious and fatal, that hit our state and still not finished," warned the governor of Alabama, Robert Brantley.
Terrified, the residents of Birmingham were trying to calculate the damage early on Thursday. While some expressed gratitude for still being alive, others mourned the loss of friends and family.
"There were wooden beams falling from the sky," says the store manager Jack Welch. "At least 30 homes were destroyed" near his establishment.
Some of the houses swept away by strong winds had located the wreckage up to 80 miles away. Dozens of cities are without power.
The wave of tornadoes is considered the worst natural disaster to hit the U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, while the site Accuweather.com said it was the worst season of tornadoes since April 1974 when 310 people died.
From: Caio Zolinger
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