At least 19 people have died after tornadoes tore through the US state of Mississippi on Friday night.

More people are thought to be trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

The twisters caused devastation in several rural towns, where trees and power lines were torn down and tens of thousands of power outages were reported.

Several other southern states are also braced for powerful storms.

Heavy rainfall and hail the size of golf balls were reported in Mississippi.

Residents of Rolling Fork said that a tornado blew the windows out of the back of their homes.

Other people were trapped in piles of rubble, while some law enforcement units are unaccounted for in the town of Sharkey,

Mississippi's governor, Tate Reeves, said on Twitter that search and rescue teams were providing medical support to those affected.

"Many in the MS Delta need your prayer and God's protection tonight. Watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi!", Mr Reeves wrote. (BBC)

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