Storms kills 4, displaces thousands in southern U.S.

Severe storms and tornadoes have swept across the southern U.S. states of Texas and Oklahoma in recent days, with at least four deaths reported and over 2,000 rendered homeless.

In Texas, after record-setting rains and tornadoes hit the Lone Star state for two days, Governor Greg Abbot said Monday that 24 more counties were under a state of disaster. That brought the total number of such counties to 37 since early May.

In San Marcos and Winberley in central Texas, storms have damaged as many as 1,000 houses, and left 12 people missing and more than 2,000 others homeless. A man was found drowned in the swollen Blanco River between the state's capital of Austin and the central city of San Antonio.

In Houston, the fourth largest city of the country, a tornado touched down in the vicinity of an apartment complex on Sunday, causing partial collapse there. Heavy storms on Monday night battered most parts of the city, causing floods and cutting off power supply to many homes.

In neighboring Oklahoma, at least three people died, with dozens injured. A number of roads were closed after severe storms and tornadoes sacked the state since the weekend. Close to 2,500 homes had no power to use following Monday's storms, and the authorities have called for emergency evacuation and opened mass care shelters for the victims of the storms.

The National Weather Service has warned that the two states are expected to have more thunderstorms, flash floods and possible tornadoes for the remaining days of the week. Endi