One dead as severe storms hit the US Gulf Coast

A severe weather system has caused widespread flooding and tornadoes, bringing storm damage to the US South.

Large areas across the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were affected, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The system has moved east, with parts of Florida and Georgia now covered by storm and flash-flood warnings.

One death was earlier reported in Scott County, Mississippi, about 200 miles (320km) north of New Orleans, reports BBC.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency did not give further details about Tuesday's incident or the cause of death. A second person was injured.

Amid severe conditions on Wednesday, tracking site PowerOutage.us showed a peak of more than 200,000 customers across the region without power - a number that reduced over time.

Flash flooding was reported in the New Orleans area, where more than a month's worth of rain was recorded over just a few hours, and several suspected tornadoes caused damage across the Gulf Coast region.

Police in Slidell, Louisiana, said at least 10 people were injured and taken to hospital for treatment following a possible tornado.

Officers also said they had rescued about 50 people in the city, as another local official described "catastrophic" damage.

Another confirmed twister hit the town of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Homes were damaged but there were no reports of injuries.