Dramatic footage shows tornado tear through North Dakota

Amazing amateur footage shows the impact of a tornado that hit the US state of North Dakota on Monday evening.

Oil company worker Dan Yorgason uploaded the film, which also shows how he fled the swirling column in fear of his life.

He and friend Abram Schiff realised they could not outrun the tornado, so drove alongside it to avoid being hurt.

Nine people were reportedly injured when the tornado struck a set of trailers that houses oil workers five miles south of Watford City.

The authorities said over a dozen trailers were also destroyed in the storm, which apparently produced hail the size of baseballs.

Twitter users also posted some dramatic images of the twister as it tore across the sparse state's landscape.