At least 53 killed in storms, floods hitting Americas

Storms hit the U.S.' south and western parts over the Christmas holiday weekend, unleashing floods and tornadoes that killed at least 43 people, while at least 10 people were killed in mudslides due to floods in the South American countries of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.  

The bad weather, or the threat of it, prompted the governors of Missouri and New Mexico to declare a state of emergency for their states. 

Flash floods killed at least 13 people in Missouri and Illinois. 

In Missouri, emergency workers have evacuated residents from their homes and conducted dozens of water rescues, Governor Jay Nixon said on Dec. 27. He said at least eight people had been killed and numerous roadways had been closed. 

Three adults and two children were near the village of Patoka, Illinois, when their car was washed away by floodwaters on the night of Dec. 26, according to Marion County Coroner Troy Cannon. 

In Texas, at least 11 people were killed in the Dallas area over the weekend by tornadoes, including one packing winds of up to 322 kilometers per hour. The twister hit the city of Garland, killing eight people and blowing vehicles off highways. 

"It is total devastation," Garland Police spokesman Lieutenant Pedro Barineau said. 

Three other deaths were reported in the Dallas metropolitan area, the United States' fourth most populous with about 7 million residents. 

Powerful tornadoes are a staple of spring and summer in central states but occur less frequently in winter, according to U.S. weather data. 

The storms came on the heels of tornadoes that hit two days before Christmas, killing at least 18 people, including 10 in Mississippi. 

The bad weather forced the cancellation of nearly...