Tornado tears through Texas claiming one life

Justin Wise, 11, and his mother Melissa, left, pick up items from the travel trailer with help from Courtney Conklin and her mother Rhonda Smith. Photo / Getty Images

One person has been killed and another seriously hurt in a tornado that has torn across Texas.

The US National Weather Service, which reported damaged homes on Saturday in Texas, also issued tornado watches covering parts of Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma.

In a relatively small area at higher risk for tornadoes were cities such as Arlington, Dallas, Garland, Fort Worth and Plano in Texas, the service added.

Fire Chief Walter Fairbanks told CNN a twister cut a path through Eastland county, and the town of Cisco, in west-central Texas.

The central United States is hit by more tornadoes than the rest of the country, but the often destructive weather system has been reported in all 50 states.

- AAP