NU Online News Service, April 26, 3:40 p.m.EDT

Close to 1,000 homes were destroyed or damaged by the fatalweekend tornado activity in eight southern states, according toreinsurance brokerage Guy Carpenter and other sources.

Estimates of the economic and insured losses from the twisterswere not immediately available.

In a Cat-i catastrophe information report the firm said that atleast 12 people were killed.

According to reports from officials, 61 tornadoes swept throughstates that included Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana,Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina.

Guy Carpenter said the dead included 10 people in ruralMississippi and two others in Alabama while at least 70 people wereinjured.

National Weather Service said one tornado was tracked with windsestimated at up to 160 mph.

The weather system also created other tornadoes that hit townsin Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee while strong windsdowned trees in Georgia. In total, eight states were placed ontornado watch over the weekend.

Roofs were torn off buildings, homes reduced to rubble, vehicleswere tossed and flipped over, power lines downed and treestoppled.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour described the scene in badly hitYazoo County as "utter obliteration," adding that "by God's graceit did not go into the central part of the city."

Guy Carpenter noted reports that the Mississippi tornadoesdamaged nearly 700 homes and businesses, leading Gov. Barbour todeclare a state of emergency in 17 counties.

Ten people were killed in Mississippi--five in Choctaw County,four in Yazoo County and one from Holmes County. Power lines weredowned and roads were blocked by fallen trees after a tornadoestimated to be almost a mile wide blew through the center ofMississippi.

Seven counties on a 190-mile path reported damage ranging fromfallen trees and downed power lines to flattened homes andbusinesses, reports said.

Around 320 houses were reported damaged in Yazoo County alone(population of around 28,000 people), officials said. At least 40homes were also damaged in Warren County, according to reports.Choctaw was also badly hit, with more than 100 homes damaged.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said nearly 200homes were damaged in Attala, Holmes, Monroe and Union. Anemergency official estimated that the storm left thousands withoutpower and hundreds homeless.

In Alabama, 33 people were reported injured, many in a mobilehome park where a tornado flipped trailers. Power was cut to about15,000 people before crews began restoring electricity and cleaningup debris.

A curfew was ordered in the town of Albertville (MarshallCounty) after a tornado caused severe damage and disruption. Fireofficials said numerous power lines were downed and hail of varioussizes was reported across Alabama.

The storm also left damage in Lamar County and DeKalb County. Anestimated 200 structures were reportedly damaged in the town ofGeraldine (DeKalb County). Elsewhere, power outages were reportedin Arkansas and Georgia, while homes and businesses were damaged inLouisiana and Tennessee.

A spokesperson from Risk Management Solutions catastrophemodeling firm e-mailed a commentary that noted many reports of downtrees, "which have led to many of the power outages, as well asblocking highways."

RMS said states near to Mississippi have been less severe,"although there were 10-15 homes destroyed in Louisiana as well as'significant damage' to a chemical industrial plant and a further33 injuries in Alabama."

Both Insurance Information Institute and Property CasualtyInsurers Association of America put out public advisories in thewake of the tornadoes warning people in affected areas to makeemergency preparations for such events and explaining that tornadolosses to a home are covered by the "windstorm" peril under thehomeowners insurance policy.

Renters insurance, it was noted, also provides coverage topolicyholder possessions under this peril. Business owners arecovered under their commercial policies, and protection fromwindstorm or hail damage for cars is covered under the"comprehensive" portion of the automobile insurance policy.