US tornadoes: At least nine dead after hitting southern states – Tens of thousands leave without power | US News

At least nine people have been killed in the United States after dozens of tornadoes lashed the southern states of Alabama and Georgia.

rescue team is effort to remove debris And to find any survivors in 14 counties in both states, where the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reported at least 35 possible tornadoes.

A man cut a 20-mile (32-kilometer) road through two rural Alabama communities Thursday before the weather system tracked east to Atlanta, Georgia.

In Otoga County, Alabama, seven people were killed, at least 12 were seriously injured, and 40 homes were destroyed — some mobile homes were reportedly blown up.

A flag hangs from the remains of a tornado-damaged home on County Road 140 in Old Kingston, Alabama, U.S., Jan. 13, 2023.  Jake Crandall/USA TODAY Network, Reuters Resale prohibited. There is no file.mandatory credit
picture:
Old Kingston in Otoga County, Alabama, after the storm.Photo: Jake Crandall/USA TODAY Network/Reuters
In this photo obtained from social media, an aerial view shows devastation after a tornado ripped through Selma, Alabama, U.S., on Jan. 12, 2023.  Kenneth Martin/via REUTERS This image was provided by a third party. mandatory credit. Resale prohibited. There is no file.
picture:
Aerial view of Selma, Alabama.Image: Kenneth Martin/Reuters

In Selma, a tornado cut a road through the downtown area, toppling brick buildings, uprooting oak trees and throwing cars on the road.

No deaths were reported there, but several people were seriously injured, and officials hoped to get a bird’s-eye view of the city.

In Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp said a local government worker was killed while responding to damage from the storm, while in Butters County, southeast of Atlanta, a 5-year-old was killed in a They died after a tree fell on top of the car they were traveling in. An adult in the car is in critical condition.

In Griffin, a tree fell while the funeral was in progress, prompting mourners to scramble for shelter in offices and bathrooms.

Crews clear a fallen tree in Griffin after a tornado hit Georgia City.Photo: Associated Press
picture:
Crews clear a fallen tree in Griffin after a tornado hit Georgia City.Photo: Associated Press

“When we came out, we were in complete shock,” said Sha-Meeka Peterson-Smith, the funeral home’s chief operating officer. “We heard everything but didn’t know how bad it was.”

It fell directly from the building’s facade, destroying a viewing room and a lounge. No one is hurt.

Elsewhere in the city, several people were trapped in an apartment building after trees fell, while a local craft store had its roof partially destroyed and a man had to be rescued after a tree fell on his home .

According to PowerOutage.us, tens of thousands of homes and businesses were without power in the storm’s path.

The cause of the storm is likely a combination of the La Niña weather cycle, warming in the Gulf of Mexico, and an increased eastward shift in tornado activity.

Source link