One dead as severe storms hit US

Severe storms, including at least one tornado, have killed at least one man and injured dozens more in Florida and Georgia.

Officials say the tornado hit Wausau, Florida, a rural town about 90 miles west of Tallahassee.

A 59-year-old man died and his wife was critically injured when their mobile home was destroyed.

One of the businesses wiped out in Wausau raised snakes for pet stores. Its inventory, including boas and pythons, was lost to the storm.

"The buildings are all gone, that's our income. It's pretty much all gone," co-owner Lynn Arnold said.

"We've lost carpet pythons, tree boas, we've got mice and rats all over the place. Everything's just everywhere."

"Everything is levelled; there's trailers with nothing but the frames, vans turned upside down," said Shawn Sanders, the fire chief in nearby Greenhead.

In southwestern Georgia, the hardest-hit areas were around Whigham and Climax, neighbouring towns in Grady and Decatur counties.

At least 12 structures, including mobile homes and barns, were destroyed in the two Georgia counties.

High wind also toppled numerous trees in Columbus, in west-central Georgia, damaging some buildings in the city's historic district.