A tornado with winds of more than 158mph has torn a path of devastation through western Kentucky and southern Indiana as people slept, killing at least 22, smashing dozens of mobile homes and reducing entire blocks of buildings to rubble.

A TORNADO ripped across south-western Indiana and northern Kentucky early yesterday, killing at least 20 people, wrecking homes and knocking out power to thousands, state and county authorities said.

A tornado ripped across parts of two central states early today, killing at least 16 people, wrecking homes and knocking out power to thousands, state and county authorities said.