CNN
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At least seven people, including a child, died Thursday as violent storms swept through the south, where ferocious winds forced residents to flee. for covering, blown roofs off homes and knocked out power up to thousands.
Recovery efforts will continue on Friday after storms damaged power lines, severed tree branches and debris scattered through the streets in Alabama, Georgia, and Kentucky, with at least 35 preliminary tornado reports. of Thursday evening, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Six people died in hard-hit Otauga County in Central Alabama, where search operations will continue Friday, Buster Barber County Coroner told CNN. A 5-yearthe old one was killed in Butts County, Georgia after a tree fall on Top of a carDistrict Coroner Lacey Prue told CNN affiliate WSB.
In Selma, Alabama – known for this is role in civil rights movement and home up to about 17000 people – huge tornado left behind widespread destruction. At the tax office, Deborah Brown and others had to rush safety seeing what it looked like like tornado is rolling down in the street she said.
“We could leave, all of you,” Brown said. in Facebook video. “We have to run for lid. we had to go run and jump in closet.”
The tornado that hit Selma was probably on Earth for at least 50 miles and caused National Weather Service meteorologist Gerald Satterwhite said seven counties were affected. It was probably EF-2 or EF-3. on “The Improved Fujita Scale,” he said, referring to tornado-filled gusts of wind. of at least 111 miles per hour.
There were at least two reports of tornadoes in neighboring Otauga County. made.
heavy storms on Thursday left about 45000 homes and business is still in Dark Friday morning in Georgia and Alabama, according to tracking website PowerOutage.us.
Storms marked latest the fight of heavy weather turn deadly in United States, as experts point to the man-made climate crisis as cause for such an extreme events. Millions in California reeling from weeks of heavy rain that killed at least 18 people people and left thousands without power.
Rescue and cleanup work is due to resume on Friday, reportedly. left of storms moves late afternoon across the Florida peninsula, leaving a cooler and sunnier weather through region.
Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. asked residents to conserve water as their wastewater treatment plant was hit by the disaster. power shutdowns.
“We must layer up and get ready,” Perkins said when the temperature in in area started to fall with overnight lows over in next a few days to dip below freezing.
Governors in Alabama and Georgia declared states of emergency in affected areas in help with rescue and cleanup work.
“We always keep in Keep in mind that for now weather events interesting from a scientific point of view, they can result in deep and lasting impact on people. Our thoughts with those affected by today’s severe weather”, National Meteorological Service in Birmingham said in tweet.
“My prayers with their families and communities,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said. in tweet. “We know too well with destructive weather but ours people elastic. We will get through and get stronger for It.”
In addition to destruction caused tornado and powerful storms, destructive winds circled over region from Mississippi to Virginia.
In the south and central part of the USA, more over 160 devastating wind reports have been recorded in Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia. There were 19 reports of heavy hail. in Kentucky, Ohio, Alabama, West Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia.
In northeast Mississippi, several buildings were destroyed or badly damaged. in Monroe County after the storm cleared Thursday morning, a video posted on Twitter by the state’s emergency management agency. shows. There were no casualties, the agency said.
tornado damage in Alabama County Dallas – home to Selma – covered the entire length of county, said coroner William Alan Daly. in video conference.
Krishun Moore house in Selma was torn apart up when the storm sent her and her mother shelter in their bathroom, she said. “All we heard was the wind and all house shaking,” Moore told CNN, adding that he didn’t. one was injured.
Priscilla Lewis, who general photos of damage in selma with CNN said damage made almost impossible to leave the city center area Thursday. No deaths reported in Dallas County as of Thursday, but some residents were injured.
“This is a catastrophe area. Power lines down and trees down “It’s really dangerous,” Dallas County Probate Judge Jimmy Nunn said during the trial. news the conference.
Neighboring Otauga County has at least 20 homes were either damaged or destroyed, according to Gary Weaver, Deputy director of district emergency management.
Damage overview teams will be in field over in next a few days across the areaNational Weather Service in Birmingham said.
Due to the extensive impact of storms on some roads in Georgia, some students were unable to leave four high schools south of of Atlanta, according to their school system Thursday evening.
By Friday morning more more than two dozen students reunited with their families, the Griffin-Spaulding County School System said. in a social media post after required shelter on school grounds because storm debris blocked access to the roadway.
Spaulding County, where the school district is located, is declared a state. of Emergency on Thursday due to tornado report in officials said in the community on Facebook urges residents to take cover in place. Parts of the state was under watch for tornadoes Thursday night.
“When you start leaving on the roads will not way get where you’re going,” said T.J. Imberger, Spalding County spokesman. public working director.
Griffin Spalding School District will be closed on Friday as area recovering from severe storms.
