18 dead as tornados hit US

ADEL, Georgia — A severe storm system that spun off apparent tornadoes, pulverized mobile homes and scattered other destruction around the Southeast has claimed at least 18 lives on a two-day assault on the region, authorities said.

The enormous system put reported before dawn and millions of people in the South violent storms still rumbling on edge during a weekend of after nightfall. Four people violent weather that destroyed were killed Saturday in homes, downed trees and Mississippi when the system caused other damage in the began to ramp up. hardest-hit communities from "There are houses Mississippi to Georgia. The just demolished," said severe weather threat was Norma Ford, who rushed still continuing Sunday night out with other relatives in some parts, extending into Sunday evening after South Carolina and north hearing a reported twister Florida. had overturned her

At least 14 people were nephew's mobile home in killed Sunday in Georgia the southwestern Georgia as the intense, fast-moving city of Albany, the region's storms tore across the state largest city with some throughout the day, with at 76,000 residents. least one deadly tornado She said downed trees and powerlines made roads impassable, forcing them to walk the 2 miles to the mobile home park to check on her relatives. She said her QHSKHZ ZDV ¿QH EXW VHYHUDO of his neighbors' homes were destroyed.

Georgia's latest three GHDWKV ZHUH FRQ¿UPHG Sunday evening in Dougherty County where Albany is located, said Catherine Howden, spokeswoman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.

Sebon Burns, the county's deputy chief for emergency management, said search and rescue efforts were continuing Sunday night following reports of injuries and extensive damage.

Yet the day's deadliest toll came before daybreak Sunday when an apparent tornado blew through a mobile home park in south Georgia — about 60 miles southeast of Albany