Tornadoes and thunderstorms have killed 55 people across the US in the deadliest storms in nine years.

Hardest hit were Tennessee where 31 people died, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Alabama.

In Sumner County, northeast of Nashville, a tornado sucked an 11-month-old boy and his mother from their home. They were found later in a field. The child survived, but his mother was dead.

At Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Ferina Ferrington told a local TV reporter: "My husband and I got into the bathtub with our little girl. I remember flying through the air. It was very scary. Then it was real quiet and we saw our house was gone. Our baby was unhurt."

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen said he was shocked by the intensity and scope of a storm that "just literally sat on the ground in wide areas" along a track that was as much as 400 miles wide.

US President George W Bush will travel to Tennessee to survey the storm damage and offer his support to those affected.

Around 500 homes were destroyed in Arkansas. Johnny Martin, 65, gathered belongings from his brick and wood home that lay shattered beneath massive oak trees in the town of Atkins, west of Little Rock.

"We all huddled in the bathroom," said Mr Martin.

"I was standing at first at the front door when I heard it. ... The Lord was with us."

Tornadoes typically kill about 70 people in the US each year.

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