At least six people have died as powerful tornadoes carved a path of destruction across the US Midwest. Entire neighbourhoods were flattened within seconds as the twisters, triggered by a "very dangerous" and fast-moving weather system, touched down in as many as 10 states.

Forecasters said the extreme weather, which destroyed homes, uprooted trees and flipped cars upside down, could affect more than 50 million people.

According to the National Weather Service, more than 60 tornadoes struck, unleashing 80mph winds and hail stones up to two inches in diameter. Extensive damage was reported in Illinois, where three people are known to have died.

At one hospital in Peoria, Illinois, doctors were treating at least 24 casualties, some of whom had head injuries and broken bones.

Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin were buffered by the storm, which weakened it tracked east towards Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland and New Jersey.

Anthony Khoury, who saw a twister rip through his home city of Washington, Illinois, said "Most of my neighbourhood is completely destroyed, everything has been demolished. Families have lost their homes, people don't have anywhere to sleep and the electricity has gone" he said.

Some of the damage caused in Illinois

Michael Perdun, a fellow Washington resident, said "I stepped outside and I heard it coming".

"My daughter was already in the basement, so I ran downstairs and grabbed her, crouched in the laundry room. All of a sudden I could see daylight up the stairway and my house was gone."

Jeff Leeman, who was in his backyard with his son when a tornado struck Pekin, Illnois, added"In a matter of seconds ... it was right on top of us".

"We hustled in the house and before we knew it, it was gone. It was that fast."

The weather outlook for the region

The tornadoes brought down phone lines, making communications difficult, and left debris strewn across roads, rendering many impassable.

The severe weather also caused the cancellation of many flights, while the Baltimore Ravens' game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field was temporarily suspended in the first quarter due to lightning in the area.

Meteorologist Matt Friedlein said such powerful storms rarely occur so late in the year because the climate is usually too cold.

However, temperatures had been forecast to climb to as high as 26 degrees Celsius, he said, which is warm enough to produce severe weather when coupled with strong winter winds.