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Tornadoes ripped through the south-central United States, killing at least 17 people in Arkansas and Oklahoma and wiping out entire neighborhoods, authorities said as rescue workers searched in darkness for survivors.
Winds ripped houses off their foundations and flipped cars on top of the rubble in the small town of Vilonia in central Arkansas' Faulkner county, one of the worst-hit communities.
Show all 15 1 /15In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Twisted trees and power lines remain in a residential block near Military Avenue following the tornado in Baxter Springs. A powerful storm system rumbled through the central and southern United States, spawning a massive tornado that carved through Little Rock's northern suburbs and another that hit Oklahoma and Kansas
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Travel trailers and motor homes are piled on top of each other at Mayflower RV in Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA A man walks past a wrecked automobile and RV on Interstate 40 in Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Quapaw residents survey the damage in a residential neighborhood struck by a tornado
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA First responders, volunteers and firemen gather on Main Street in Quapaw after a tornado struck the city
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA A officer talks to people at 15th and Military following tornado in Baxter Springs
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA A flipped pickup truck is reflected in water after a tornado destroyed the town of Mayflower. Tornadoes ripped through the south-central United States, killing at least 12 people in Arkansas and Oklahoma and wiping out entire neighborhoods of homes, according to officials, as rescue workers searched in darkness for survivors
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA A damaged house is seen after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower. Some of about 45 homes were destroyed in a newer subdivision and a lumberyard was damaged, said Will Elder, an alderman in the city of 2,300 people
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Debris is seen at a damaged business after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Damaged trees are seen after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA A damaged vehicle is seen after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA An overturned vehicle is seen amid debris after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Debris from a damaged home is seen after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Debris is seen at a damaged business after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
In pictures: Deadly tornadoes rip through US USA Business owners look over the damage after a tornado hit the town of Mayflower
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