Death Toll From US Tornadoes Rises to at Least 292

April 28, 2011

Residents search through what is left of their homes after a tornado hit Pleasant Grove west of downtown Birmingham , Alabama, a day earlier, Apr 28 2011

The National Weather Service says about 150 tornados tore through parts the southern states of Mississippi and Alabama on Wednesday. Alabama's city of Tuscaloosa was one of the hardest hit. Several buildings were flattened, and many city operations are unable to function.

Water dripped through the roof of the grocery store Mike Honeysutt manages in Tuscaloosa. He watched as it was destroyed.

"The power went out and the building started shaking, the windows were shaking and part of the roof was flying off the building, the windows came into the front and then the wind started blowing stuff of the shelves," said Honeysutt.

Honeysutt said the tornado was gone 15 or 20 seconds later. The damage was not, however, and many people are missing among the rubble.

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to assist in search-and-rescue efforts.

"We do have major destruction in the state, especially in the northern part of Alabama," said Bentley. "We have 131 confirmed fatalities at the present time. We expect that number to rise today. In fact, we are sure it will. There may be as many as a half million to a million people in the state without power at this time."