Texas tornadoes leave eight dead

Tornadoes have swept through the Dallas area in Texas, leaving substantial damage and at least eight people dead, in the latest in a succession of freakish winter weather events across the US.

The Texas tornadoes that touched down after dark on Saturday followed days of tumultuous weather in the south-east, including unusual winter tornadoes that left 18 people dead there over the Christmas period.

National Weather Service meteorologist Anthony Bain in Fort Worth said several tornadoes touched down in the Dallas area, although the full extent of damage was not yet known.