Jane Santomassino gathers some of the belongings that she was able to salvage after a tornado destroyed her home in the Willow Brooke subdivision in Evansville, Indiana November 6, 2005. (yhaoo.com)

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- A predawn tornado ripped through an area in the midwestern United States on Sunday, killing at least 15 people, injuring over 100 others and knocking out power to tens of thousands of homes.

    US TV network CNN reported that the tornado touched down first near Henderson, Kentucky, and blew into Indiana around 2 a.m.

    All the 15 deaths were reported in Indiana. Some of them were killed when a powerful twister tore through a trailer park in Evansville, Indiana.

    St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville said it was treating some 110 people for injuries due to the tornado.

    About 25,000 homes were left without power, mostly in Warrick County, Indiana and there were also reports of natural gas leaks.

    In the later morning, the tornado developed into a line of thunderstorm which rolled rapidly eastward across the Ohio Valley.

    The US National Weather Service issued warnings for the area about 30 minutes before the tornado struck, but many people were asleep and were not aware of them. Enditem