There's fresh hope the death toll from a series of tornadoes that swept through the central states of America may not be as high as first feared.
More than 110 people were thought to have been working at a candle factory in the small town of Mayfield, Kentucky, when one of the tornadoes ripped through and wiped out the entire structure.
Just 40 people there have been found alive, but the factory owner has told local authorities the number of staff in the building may have been much fewer than first thought.
The news comes as communities across six states - Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri - gathered today to hold church services in memory of those who died.
"It's going to take a long time. I mean, our little town will never be the same, but we're resilient. We'll get there, but it's going to take a long time," said worshipper Laura McClendon.
In other towns, an enormous clean up was underway.
"The streets are impassable, my friends and I have been doing everything we can all morning with shovels and tractors so that people can go and collect some things from their homes. It is unimaginable that something like this could happen," said one man trying to clear the streets around where his home once stood.
The US Government has flown in with supplies, support - and money.
Federal aid’s on its way, but dozens of towns have a long winter ahead after the weekend’s devastation. (Source: 1News)
But aid will be slow to disperse across the largely rural areas impacted, and many people have nowhere to go.
The National Guard has opened up armouries for shelter.
Many towns have lost water supply when tanks were torn down, and power supply has impacted tens of thousands.
To make matters worse, a cold spell has hit - with temperatures below freezing overnight.
Tamra Yekinni, a worker at the candle factory in Mayfield, is just hopeful her friends and coworkers will be found alive.
"I don't know how, to me it was like a war zone or something. It was awful. It was so awful," she said.


















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