Four Grandchildren Killed In Texas Flood

A grandmother and four of her grandchildren have been killed after tornadoes and torrential rain caused flooding in Texas.

They escaped from a flooded house in Timber Drive, Palestine, 100 miles southeast of Dallas, and were then swept away in the torrent.

Palestine police Captain James Muniz said the bodies of the 64-year-old grandmother and four children, aged between six and nine, were later found by emergency services.

Their names have not yet been released.

Police said the water had reached the roofline of some houses in the block.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm alert for the Houston area, where flooding has killed eight people this month.

There is also a flash flood warning from Texas stretching into western Tennessee.

"Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected today into this evening across the lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, Ozarks and the Ohio Valley," it said.

There were seven tornadoes in Texas and Oklahoma on Friday.

A twister caused damage to several buildings in Ninnekah, about 50 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.