In the United States, emergency officials say more than sixty people are dead after severe storms, hail, and tornados swept across the region. Hardest-hit was the city of Tuscaloosa in Alabama. Tornadoes were also reported in the city of Birmingham, Alabama. Reports say hundreds of thousands of people are without power and many trees have been knocked down. The governors of Alabama and Arkansas have declared states of emergency, as have other states in the region. President Obama has declared a state of emergency for Alabama, authorizing federal aid for all 67 of its counties. In a statement, he extended deepest condolences to the families of the victims. He also praised the heroic efforts of the people who have been working to respond to the disaster. These storms, which began on Monday and also hit Texas and Missouri, are the latest to pound the southern and central United States. Earlier this month, three days of severe weather killed at least 45 people in the region.