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Deadly floods, tornadoes sweep the United States

Inclement weather killed at least 43 people in the US over the holiday weekend

Massoud Hayoun
New York
Monday 28 December 2015 15:44 GMT
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An American flag placed by first responders is seen December 27, 2015 in the aftermath of a tornado in Rowlett, Texas.
An American flag placed by first responders is seen December 27, 2015 in the aftermath of a tornado in Rowlett, Texas. (Laura Buckman/AFP/Getty Images)

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Storm and flood warnings remained in place across the United States Monday as inclement weather that killed 43 people over the Christmas weekend continued to ravage large swaths of the country.

About 30 million Americans were at risk as storms that left a record 40 centimeters of snow in New Mexico over the weekend headed eastward, CNN reported.

Andrea Simpson wades through water as she goes back to her house in Courtland, Ala., after checking if the barn was safe for her horses to spend the night in Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015. The barn turned out to be flooded, too.
Andrea Simpson wades through water as she goes back to her house in Courtland, Ala., after checking if the barn was safe for her horses to spend the night in Saturday, Dec. 26, 2015. The barn turned out to be flooded, too. (Jeronimo Nisa/The Decatur Daily/AP)

Tennessee rescue workers on Monday found three people — ages 22, 69 and 70 — dead, bringing the death toll from torrential rains in the southeastern US there to 19, Texas newspaper The Houston Chronicle reported.

In Texas, a tornado with winds at 322-kilometer-per-hour blew vehicles off highways in the eastern city of Garland killed 11 over the weekend, according to Reuters news agency, and flash floods killed at least 13 in Missouri and Illinois. Four soldiers were among those killed in Missouri, CNN said.

Cars sit submerged in flood waters on Tallapoosa Street, Friday, Dec. 25, 2015, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Cars sit submerged in flood waters on Tallapoosa Street, Friday, Dec. 25, 2015, in Birmingham, Alabama. (Butch Dill/AP)

Missouri Govenrnor Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency over flooding expected to impact the state through Monday. Governor Nixon did not immediately indicate the number of dead in his state, but cited “multiple” reports of casualties and rescue workers ongoing efforts to relocate people from heavily hit areas.

In New Mexico, Governor Susana Martinez also declared a state of emergency Sunday over a snowstorm that swept the state over the weekend.

Bob Moore walks through his home in Rowlett, Texas on December 27, 2015, the morning after it was struck by a tornado.
Bob Moore walks through his home in Rowlett, Texas on December 27, 2015, the morning after it was struck by a tornado. (Rex C. Curry/AP)

Winter storm warnings and flash flood watches remained in place for the Midwest and South, the federal National Weather Service reported Monday.

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