The southern and eastern US has been smacked by days of deadly tornadoes and storms - and more are on the way

• The National Weather Service warned of the "risk of severe thunderstorms" in southern and eastern US states on Thursday and Friday. 
• Earlier in the week the region was hit by storms and tornadoes that left eight people dead. 
• Some areas are expected to see heavy rainfall causing flash floods, and "severe" thunderstorms are to hit areas near the Gulf of Mexico. 
• An area of low pressure moving eastward is behind the weather warnings. 
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Parts in the southeastern US hit by deadly storms last week are bracing on Thursday for even more tornadoes headed their way.

The National Weather Service early Thursday warned of the "risk of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio River Valley today."

The bad weather is due to shift to the east coast on Friday.

The cause of the storms is a low pressure weather system, moving east from the Mississippi Valley. It is expected to bring more than an inch of rainfall some many areas and "severe" thunderstorms to states on the Gulf Coast including Texas and Louisiana on Thursday. Florida and Virginia are due to be hit on Friday.

"The main threats with the severe storms will be damaging wind gusts and several tornadoes; some of the tornadoes in the South today and tonight could be strong," warned the NWS. 

"The thunderstorms and areas of heavy rain will also pose a risk for flash flooding over much of the eastern half of the US," officials said.

The warned of flash floods Thursday in the Mississippi River Valley region, with the risk spreading to much of the US east coast on Friday.

The NWS Storm Prediction Center warned of "severe storms" accompanied by the "risk for damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes, some of which could become strong" across the Mississippi Valley and states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

It comes after deadly storms swept across southern states on Sunday claiming eight lives in Texas, the Mississippi area and Louisiana.

The death toll includes two children killed in Texas when a tree fell on their car. 

Several tornadoes had torn through the states, and storms also hit Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia on Monday.