By Peggy Gargis
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, April 27 (Reuters) - More than 20 people have died as a result of powerful storms in the southern United States this week, emergency officials said on Wednesday.
Governors in Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee each declared a state of emergency, and in Mississippi severe weather damaged homes, downed trees and power lines, and sparked flash floods.
In Alabama, strong winds snapped trees across power lines, roads and buildings early on Wednesday, leaving about 245,000 households and businesses without power.
Six people died in the storms that caused most damage as they ripped through overnight, Alabama officials said. In a suburban Birmingham neighborhood, a family was briefly trapped inside their home by fallen trees.
"As I was grabbing my daughter and running to the closet, trees hit the house," said Lisa Hey, who estimated 90 percent of the trees in her neighborhood had fallen over.
In Arkansas, the storms have killed 11 people, according to the Department of Emergency Management. Local officials reported road closures and the partial collapse of a highway.
There were five deaths reported in Mississippi, including a worker killed while removing a tree from a roadway.
Much of north Texas, including areas which were recently charred by wildfires, was also pounded by tornadoes and severe thunderstorms Tuesday night that damaged many homes.
Tennessee, which is already struggling with flooding, power outages and blocked roads, was expected to see more severe weather into Wednesday evening, AccuWeather.com reported.
The major worry was that the storm system could spawn large and dangerous tornadoes, meteorologists said.
"If strong tornadoes like this hit any populated area, they could result in complete destruction," said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Heather Buchman.
Floods remain a big concern in several states, where rain and melted snow have caused rising rivers and saturated soils.
This week's storms have added to the violent weather that has pummeled much of the southern U.S. this month. Two weeks ago, at least 47 people died as storms tore a wide path from Oklahoma to North Carolina. (Additional reporting by Suzi Parker, Jim Forsyth, Leigh Coleman and Tim Ghianni; Writing by Colleen Jenkins; Editing by Laura MacInnis)
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