Six states without power as deadly winter storm and tornadoes hit US - BBC

A fierce wintertime tempest has near a way of demolition crossed the confederate US, devastating communities and sidesplitting 3 radical successful Louisiana.

The upwind has besides near tens of thousands without powerfulness crossed six states.

To the east, an estimated 11 cardinal radical successful Florida and Georgia are inactive facing the menace of tornadoes.

The tempest strategy besides brought blizzard-like conditions to the Midwest.

In Louisiana, officials person truthful acold confirmed 3 deaths and dozens of injuries arsenic a effect of the storm. In 1 incident, a 56-year-old pistillate successful St Charles Parish adjacent New Orleans was killed aft a tornado destroyed her home.

Communities crossed the authorities reported terrible damage, including downed powerfulness lines and collapsed buildings. In Jefferson Parish - a suburb of New Orleans - the sheriff's bureau said that homes and businesses successful the country had "suffered catastrophic damage".

One Louisiana resident, Michael Willis, told the BBC's US spouse CBS that a adjacent brushwood with a tornado adjacent the municipality of Harvey was "the scariest thing" helium has ever experienced.

The tornado lifted him up portion helium was sitting successful his car, a ample SUV, portion debris smashed done his windshield and rider window.

"It happened fast," helium said. "I'm looking astatine wood, buildings, each successful the aforesaid spin, similar it's spinning with maine and past it conscionable slung maine out."

Earlier, Louisiana wellness officials confirmed that a 30-year-old pistillate and her eight-year-old lad were recovered dormant successful Caddo Parish successful the northwest country of the state.

As of 07:00 section clip (13:00 GMT) connected Thursday, astir 10,000 radical were inactive without powerfulness successful assorted parts of the state, according to website poweroutage.us.

Power outages were besides reported successful Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In Wisconsin alone, 70,000 radical were without powerfulness Thursday morning.

In Florida and Georgia, millions of radical were inactive nether tornado ticker arsenic the prima roseate connected Thursday, with authorities informing residents of "damaging to destructive winds". The terrible hazard was expected to extremity by Thursday afternoon.

Further north, forecasters expect snowfall and freezing rainfall to proceed done astatine slightest Friday day crossed a ample swathe of the state from the eastbound seashore to the Midwest.

"This strategy is notable for the information that it's going to interaction areas each the mode from California to yet the Northeast," National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Pereira told CBS.

In South Dakota, the snowfall - which was astir 2 feet (0.6 metres) precocious successful immoderate areas - prompted officials to adjacent a 320-mile (514km) agelong of highway.

Additionally, successful Minnesota, the Star Tribune reported that blizzard-like conditions were apt until Thursday, with arsenic overmuch arsenic 2.5 feet (0.75 metres) of snowfall apt by the weekend.

In Canada, ample parts of Ontario remained freezing rainfall warnings connected Thursday, portion snowfall warnings were issued for areas including Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City.