US tornado toll passes 300

TUSCALOOSA: The death toll from a series of storms and tornadoes across the southern United States soared to 305 on Thursday, with 204 confirmed fatalities in the state of Alabama alone.

"We have 204 for the state of Alabama, including 36 in Tuscaloosa," an emergency management spokeswoman told AFP, referring to one of the worst-hit counties.

Officials warned that the definitive toll of what was already the worst tornado disaster to hit the United States in decades would probably not be known for days.

The overall toll includes 34 deaths in Tennessee, 33 in Mississippi, 14 in Georgia, 12 in Arkansas, five in Virginia, two in Missouri, and one in Kentucky, according to state officials contacted by AFP.