US: Florida on alert after storms kill 19 nearby

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Residents of central and southern Florida are bracing for the worst on Monday as storms approach the region after wreaking havoc in nearby Georgia and Mississippi, killing at least 19 people.

Many of those killed died as a succession of tornadoes ripped through Mississippi and Georgia. Some tallies had the total number of twisters nearing 50.

Seven people were killed when a tornado cut across a trailer park early Sunday morning.

As conditions worsened, the National Weather Service issued a rare "high risk" warning for southern Georgia and northern Florida on Sunday evening.

President Donald Trump pledged federal aid to help the affected states, saying "the tornadoes were vicious and powerful and strong".

Even after the storms largely passed, parts of the region remain under threat from flooding and high winds.

And in Florida, harsh thunderstorms began in central and southern regions Monday morning, heightening worries among residents.