Monday, November 7 2005 14:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: At least 22 people were killed and over 230 injured, about 50 seriously, when an un-seasonal tornado, with wind speeds up to 253 kmph, tore through the central US states of Kentucky and Indiana.

The twister cut a more than a kilometre wide and over 30 kilometre-long trail of destruction yesterday (Nov 06, 2005) in the west of Kentucky and south-eastern parts of Indiana.

Most of the deaths occurred in a mobile home park in Indiana's Vanderburgh county, where 17 people were killed.

The rest were confirmed dead in neighbouring Warrick County. However, no deaths were immediately reported from the state of Kentucky.

Warrick County sheriff's Deputy Sue Buchanan told CNN that St Mary's Medical Centre in Evansville reported treating some 110 people for injuries.

Residents said the tornado moved very quickly through the area and a woman was quoted by sources as saying that it picked up a car with her family members in it and slammed it against a tree. But none of those inside was seriously injured.

The National Weather Service had issued a warning around half-an-hour before the tornado, but it was of no help as residents were sleeping when it touched down around two in the morning (local time) and thus unaware of the danger.

This was the deadliest twister since one that hit Alabama state on April 8, 1998 in which 37 people had died.

Around 100 of the 320 mobile homes were destroyed and another 125 damaged, reports said.