Massachusetts emergency after tornadoes kill four

Violent winds over the Connecticut River were captured on film

A cluster of tornadoes has hit the US state of Massachusetts, killing at least four people.

They left a trail of destruction across 24 towns, ripping off roofs, uprooting trees and scattering debris.

Worst hit was Springfield, the third largest city in the state, where 33 injuries were reported. A state of emergency has been declared and the National Guard has been called in.

Tornadoes are rare, but not unheard of, in the north-eastern US.

State Governor, Deval Patrick said the path of damage from the first and more powerful of two tornadoes rampaged from Westfield, just west of Springfield, and extended east to the community of Douglas.

A second, slightly less powerful twister, cut a path from West Springfield to Sturbridge in the central part of the state.

The damaged area is around 90 miles west of the city of Boston.

At least 48,000 homes have been left without electricity, said the governor