Wednesday, November 30, 2016

5 Dead as Storms Rip Through the South; More Than a Dozen Tornadoes Confirmed

Pam Wright
Published: November 30,2016

Five people have been killed as thunderstorms ripped through the South early Wednesday.
Three people were killed in Alabama when a confirmed EF2 tornado touched down in Rosalie, Alabama. All three were in a mobile home when the tornado tore through the town, Jackson County Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen told the Associated Press early Wednesday. Another person in the home was critically injured, Harnen said.
(PHOTOS: Deadly Tennessee Wildfire Aftermath, as Seen from Above)
Two others were killed in Tennessee as the storms barreled across the state, reports AP.
So far, more than a dozen tornadoes have been confirmed from Tuesday and early Wednesday morning. Those twisters were confirmed in Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.

Alabama

In addition to the reported fatalities, three children and three adults were injured after a daycare center in which they were seeking shelter was flattened in Ider, in DeKalb County. According to AP, the family owned the daycare had left their mobile home to seek shelter at the daycare center during the storm. The three adults are listed in critical condition.
There have been 25 others from the area transported to the hospital with minor injuries from the storm, reports WRCB. The Ider tornado was assigned a preliminary rating of EF3 by a survey team from the National Weather Service.
Up to 20 buildings, including a Baptist church and a shopping plaza, were destroyed in Rosalie, Harnen said.
At one point, Alabama Power reported 3,500 customers without power.
The NWS confirmed tornadoes in Madison (EF2), North Pickens (EF1), Jackson (EF2), Frankin (EF2) and Lamar (unrated) counties. Two were reported in Winston County, an EF1 tornado and one that was unrated.

Tennessee

Two people have been killed and at least nine others injured in severe weather that hit the state overnight.
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency spokesman Dean Flener told the Associated Press a husband and wife died and two others were injured in Polk County. He said at least seven injuries were reported in nearby McMinn County. He provided no further details.
Flener says suspected tornadic activity was reported in six counties, all in the southeastern corner of Tennessee.
(FORECAST: Severe Weather Threatens the South)
The Polk County sheriff labeled the area a "disaster zone" and confirm that there have been a "few fatalities," reports WRCB. After a damage survey, the tornado was rated EF3, the strongest confirmed tornado in the state from Tuesday night or Wednesday morning.
The sheriff notes that power lines are down and several buildings have been damaged in the county.
The NWS also confirmed tornadoes in Athens (EF2), Tullahoma (EF1) and Whitehall (EF2).

Mississippi

According to the NWS, a likely tornado in Noxubee County, Mississippi, trapped people inside a camp house on Ebenezer Church Road on Tuesday. Four homes were reportedly destroyed along that road.
: Benton PD Chief Rocky King tells us there are at least a "few" fatalities. @WRCB
 
A tornado described as "large and extremely dangerous" was reported near Mashulaville on Tuesday.
In Scott, Mississippi, a 250- to 300-yard swath of damage was reported from Highway 481 to Debates Road, the NWS also reported. Roof damage was spotted on Mejelk Road and a tree collapsed on top of a mobile home. A tree fell on top of a house and destroyed two sheds on Reeves Road, but no injuries were reported.
In Grenada, Mississippi, three homes on McSwine Road were damaged by thunderstorm winds.
(MORE: Nighttime Tornadoes Twice as Likely to Be Deadly)
Officials report trees and power lines were down across much of north and central Mississippi, causing numerous power outages.
There were also reports of baseball- and golf ball-sized hail hitting the central and north parts of the Magnolia State on Tuesday.
The NWS confirmed two EF1 tornadoes near Aberdeen and Forkville, Mississippi.
An EF0 tornado was also reported in Westwego, Louisiana.

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