U.S. South Left Reeling After Rash of Severe Weather Rolls Through

Posted: January 13, 2023 3:38 pm

A severe outbreak across the South on Thursday has left at least nine people dead. The governors of Alabama and Georgia have declared states of emergency after the storms roared through the region and caused significant damage.

Alabama and Georgia Hit Hardest

Officials warn that the death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue crew continue to sift through the rubble. Autauga County, Alabama has confirmed at least seven deaths. The Autauga County Sheriff’s Office said that a woman that was initially reported as missing on Thursday was found dead early Friday, raising concerns that there will be more tragic discoveries. The tornado responsible for the damage in Autauga County traveled over 20 miles with the worst of the damage happening to mobile homes.

A six-year-old boy died in Butts County, Georgia after a tree fell onto the vehicle he was traveling in with his mother. The mother was treated at a local hospital and released. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also said that a state employee lost his life at the hands of falling debris when he was assisting with the storm response efforts.

Alabama saw the first of the severe weather on Thruway afternoon. In addition to the destruction of several mobile homes, multiple roadways in the towns of Old Kingston and Joffre were damaged. The counties of Autauga, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore, and Tallapoosa were put under the state of emergency.

Historic Selma Ravaged by Massive Tornado

The city of Selma in Dallas County was one of the hardest hit communities. Located approximately 40 miles west of Montgomery, Selma experienced a direct hit to the city center at about 12:30 pm local time. While it has not been officially confirmed, officials said that the tornado was likely an EF-2 or EF-3 twister.

The downtown area was declared as a “disaster area” by local officials with multiple businesses damaged as the tornado touched down. The Dallas County Jail was one of the structures to sustain significant damage. Inmates were transferred to other facilities in the wake of the storm. Damage was also confirmed at Selma’s Knox Elementary School, however, there have been no injuries reported.

The dismissal process at schools in Griffin, Georgia was sent into disarray as the tornado hit when students had just boarded their busses. The students were brought back into the schools for safety with many kids remaining at school until after midnight waiting for parents.

The town of Griffin also experienced damage to numerous retailers, including a Dollar General, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, and AutoZone. A funeral home was damaged when a large tree came down on the building.

Other communities in the region that sustained extensive damage include the city of Eutaw, Alabama and Greensboro, Alabama. Residents were being asked to stay home in the storm’s aftermath so that crews could clear the streets and assess the true scope of the damage.

Confirmation of Tornadoes Still Coming In

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the agency fielded 35 preliminary reports of tornadoes. As of early Friday, the NWS had confirmed six of these.

Alabama and Georgia were not the only states to see tornadoes spin up. The NWS confirmed one EF0 and three EF1 tornadoes in Kentucky on Thursday. One of the EF1 twisters hit in Mercer County, damaging several barns and two homes. Officials confirmed that there were no reports of injuries from this twister.

California Prepares for More Severe Weather

The storms in the South came at the same time that California has been dealing with massive amounts of rain and snow. At least 18 people have been killed in California over the last few weeks as a result of the persistent train of storms to slam into the region. Unfortunately for the Golden State, more rain is on the way for the weekend.

In addition to the heavy rain and associated flooding and mudslide concerns, the next round of storms is forecast to bring damaging winds to the battered state. Winds clocking in between 40 to 60 mph will be likely at many locations.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts