Tree falls on family car killing two children as deadly storms batter southern US states

Severe weather kills at least four people across three states

Two people were hospitalised after a tornado with wind speeds of 140 mph hit Franklin, Texas (AP)

Two young children have died after strong winds toppled a tree onto the back of their family’s moving car, authorities said.

The 8-year-old and 3-year-old were killed in Lufkin, east Texas on Saturday as powerful storms continued to move across southern states in the US – reportedly killing at least four people in total.

The parents, who were in the car’s front seats, were not injured, according to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, but the children were pronounced dead at the scene.

One person was killed in north-eastern Mississippi on Sunday when a tree crashed onto his trailer after a tornado struck the area, said Monroe County road manager Sonny Clay.

Another 19 people in the county were taken to hospitals, including two who were in critical condition.

A tornado with peak wind speeds of 140 mph was also recorded in Robertson County in Texas on Saturday.

County sheriff Gerald Yezak told the Associated Press that the tornado hit the small central Texas city of Franklin, overturning mobile homes and damaging other residences.

Two people were hospitalised with injuries which were not thought to be life-threatening, while other people were treated for minor injuries at the scene, Mr Yezak said.

The storm which led to the two children’s death in Lufkin, east Texas, was a separate incident to the tornado in Franklin.

Other tornadoes were reported in both Mississippi and Tennessee. National Weather Service meteorologist John Moore said a possible twister touched down Saturday in Vicksburg, Mississippi. No injuries were reported there, but officials said several businesses and vehicles were damaged.

At Mississippi State University, 21,000 students were forced to huddle in basements and hallways as a tornado came close to the school’s campus in Starkville.

University spokesperson Sid Salter said some debris was found on campus but no injuries were reported and no buildings had been damaged.

Meanwhile, in West Monroe, Louisiana, a 13-year-old boy drowned on Saturday in an incident believed to be related to the extreme weather.

More than 100 million people from the middle of the US to the east coast remain at risk of extreme weather, facing warnings of heavy thunderstorms and another round of tornadoes, said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Centre.

“So much of the eastern United States faces the risk of severe weather today, and that includes major cities,” Mr Oravec said.

The storm system is expected to move into Georgia later on Sunday, which has prompted officials at The Masters golf tournament to bring forward start times for the final round at Augusta National Golf Club.

Officials hope to avoid heavy rain and strong winds brought by the storms.

Agencies contributed to this report