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© WRALRaleigh, N.C. was hit by a tornado that caused substantial damage.
Two days of violent weather and tornadoes killed 19 people and left others homeless as storms ripped across the southern United States, officials said.

The National Weather Service said more than 100 twisters were spotted through the region, CNN reported.

North Carolina was hit by severe storms Saturday afternoon with Wilmington's WWAY-TV reporting two people were killed in Bladen County. The TV station said law enforcement confirmed one person was dead in Ammon and a civilian report by amateur radio said one person was killed in a car wreck due to wind on state Highway 242 between Elizabethtown and Bladenboro.

The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., reported the city was hit by a tornado that caused substantial damage. The newspaper said the storm system downed power lines, toppled trees and damaged buildings in the Triangle region.

A Progress Energy spokesman said at least 70,000 customers were without power.

"It's really bad," Raleigh Fire Department Lt. Adam Stanley said.

At least seven people died in Arkansas, seven in Alabama, two in Oklahoma and one in Mississippi, CNN said.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency Friday following reports of two tornado touchdowns in at least six counties, as storms knocked down trees and snapped power lines.

"This is a serious storm that has already caused significant damage across the South. I hope Alabamians take extreme caution while these storms move through," Bentley said.

Georgia Power reported nearly 20,000 power outages as storms dropped golf ball-sized hail and knocked down trees.

Atlanta's Dogwood Festival scheduled for Friday night was moved to Saturday and the Atlanta Braves canceled a Friday night game against the New York Mets after a 55-minute rain delay.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported forecasters expected the weather to improve later Saturday, with temperatures rising to the 60s and 70s.