Death toll rises to 26 in US

The death toll from a major storm system that has lashed the south-central and eastern United States with devastating winds and powerful tornadoes rose to at least 26 by yesterday, officials said.

Tennessee, one of the hardest-hit states since the storms began Friday, initially had seven weather-related fatalities, but it later rose to nine, according to Memphis-based news channel WREG.

Scenes of devastation were left in the path of the Tennessee tornado, which twisted trees, flattened homes into piles of wooden boards, and ripped walls from structures. "The whole house, you can feel it shaking," said Janice Pieterick, whose house doors and glass windows were blew out.