TORNADOES PUMMEL ALABAMA, KILLING AT LEAST FIVE
Homes and businesses in Alabama were damaged and some even leveled Thursday as tornadoes touched down, leaving residents to contend with piles of debris and loss of electricity and authorities to assess the severity of the devastation.
At least five fatalities and an unknown number of injuries were reported. All of the deaths happened in eastern Alabama’s Calhoun County, Coroner Patrick Brown said.
Forecasters warned of the threat of a possible outbreak of tornadoes as severe thunderstorms moved through a swath of the Southeast. Days after a similar bout of destructive weather, officials in several states urged residents to brace for hail, powerful winds and possible flash floods.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, urging residents facing the most imminent danger to “take cover now.” Forecasters warned of storms with a high risk of tornadoes, as well as flash floods, in other portions of those states, as well as in Tennessee and Mississippi. A tornado watch was in effect until 8 p.m.
The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado touched down shortly after 1 p.m. in an area southwest of Birmingham, Ala., and warned that it was moving toward the city and its suburbs.
In and around Birmingham, homes were destroyed by the tornado. Police in Pelham, Ala., a suburb south of Birmingham, said some roads were left impassable by downed trees and utility lines. More than 35,000 customers were without electricty on Thursday evening.
“Our priority at the moment is identifying those citizens in need of emergency medical attention,” John Samaniego, the sheriff in Shelby County, said in a statement, adding that there had been “significant tornado damage,” including residences that had been destroyed.
He added, “This search and outreach effort will continue throughout the night and into the early morning hours.”
On Thursday morning, Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama declared a state of emergency in more than 20 counties and pressed residents to “to closely monitor the weather system,” especially if their areas were under high risk.