Storms hit midwestern United States

Powerful storms have again swept across the midwestern United States and beyond, knocking out power to thousands of people and spawning tornadoes that levelled buildings and hurled mobile homes through the air.

At least nine deaths were blamed on the storms at the weekend and yesterday.

One storm destroyed 50 homes and killed a man on Monday in Marengo, Indiana, a town of 800 people about 55km northwest of Louisville, Kentucky.

The National Weather Service said it estimated the maximum wind speed in the tornado that hit Marengo at 273km/h.