Central Alabama was hit by storms and tornadoes on Thursday, killing at least six people and leaving thousands without electricity, according to local authorities.
A spokesperson for the Autauga County Sheriff's Office told Reuters that six individuals had perished due to the Alabama tornadoes.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey took to Twitter to share her sentiments about the catastrophe. "I am sad to have learned that six Alabamians were lost to the storms that ravaged across our state," she stated, adding her thoughts and prayers for the victims of Alabama tornadoes.
After severe weather hit Alabama on Thursday, Governor Kay Ivey (R) announced a state of emergency for six counties.
The Montgomery Advertiser reports that Ivey declared a state of emergency for the counties of Autauga, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, and Tallapoosa after a series of tornadoes slammed across the state on Thursday, damaging structures and leaving 30,000 without electricity. The publication stated that four people were killed and several more were wounded as a result of the tornadoes, which were verified in the counties of Autauga and Dallas.
We'll have multiple damage survey teams in the field over the coming days. There's a lot of ground & damage to cover. We will release data as we are able to collect, assess, & verify/QC. It'll take several days, but we'll publish a web page to summarize all tracks. #alwx
— NWS Birmingham (@NWSBirmingham) January 13, 2023
Over 250 flights between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport were either delayed or canceled.
Tornadoes Downs Power Supply, Paralyzes Transportation
Reports estimate that 10,000 Selma residences and businesses were without electricity around 7:30 p.m., including much of the city center. Service workers have started repairing damaged mobile phone service across the city.
The municipal council of Selma convened an emergency meeting outdoors, with the proceedings filmed on a mobile phone and broadcast live on Facebook because of the outage. Due to severe damage to their houses, a few members were unable to attend. In response to the Alabama tornadoes, NBC News reported that the organization set aside $2 million in excess funds.
The Associated Press reported that 12 individuals were hurt badly enough to be sent to hospitals. Authorities were working through the night on Thursday to clear the roads of fallen trees in search of anybody who may need assistance, according to an NPR report.
Tornado Warnings Raised in Several States
Butts County Coroner Lacey Prue reported that a tree fell on a car in Jackson, Georgia, killing a passenger. Similarly, a freight train reportedly derailed in the same county southeast of Atlanta.
Multiple individuals were reportedly trapped inside an apartment building when trees crashed on it in Griffin, south of Atlanta. A Hobby Lobby shop in the city partly lost its roof, and firemen freed a man caught beneath a tree that collapsed on his home. The city has imposed a curfew from Thursday at 10 p.m. to Friday at 6 a.m.
On Thursday, the National Weather Service received 33 reports of tornadoes around the country and issued tornado warnings in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina. There was no confirmation of the tornado reports, and some of the damage may turn out to have been caused by winds instead.
National Weather Service records show that 98 tornadoes hit Alabama in 2022, resulting in three fatalities, per The Hill.
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