At Least 18 Dead After Tornado Outbreak Causes Flooding, Destruction

December 26, 2015
Damaging storms continued to take aim at the South on Christmas Day, bringing severe flooding just days after an outbreak of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms killed at least 18 people across the region.
Alabama and Mississippi saw the the worst of the storms with preliminary reports indicating that multiple structures were damaged after a tornado touched down near the the southwest side of Birmingham. In Coffee County, Alabama, authorities said they recovered the body of a 5-year-old child who was swept away after floodwater overtook the vehicle he was riding in. Officials are still searching for the 25-year-old male who was in the vehicle with the child at the time.

Tornadoes and severe storms slammed parts of the South and Midwest on Wednesday leaving at least 15 dead—including a 7-year-old boy in Mississippi—and injuring at least 40 others. At least 23 tornadoes have been reported, spread out across at least 10 states, and that number will likely grow as more reports come in.
(MORE: Severe Weather Threat Continues
On Thursday, heavy rain flooded parts of Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina causing mudslides and multiple road closures. It also shut down two stations on Atlanta's public rail system.
Officials in Mississippi have confirmed that four people were killed Wednesday evening in Benton County, two more in Marshall County, and one in Tippah County in connection with the severe weather that swept through the area.
Holly Springs coroner James Anderson told The Weather Channel that a 7-year-old boy was found dead in a van on Highway 7 outside Holly Springs in Marshall County. The boy's family was taken in unknown condition to a nearby hospital. Anderson didn't release any preliminary cause of death, but did confirm it was related to the severe weather in the area.
The Tennessee Department of Health has confirmed two fatalities in Perry County, a 70-year-old male and a 69-year-old female; a 22-year-old male in Rhea County; and three in Maury County, two 17-year-old males and one 16-year-old female.
One person—18-year-old Michaela Remus—died in Arkansas.
Here's a look at the other problems that have been caused by these storms so far.

Mississippi

A tornado touched down near Clarksdale, Mississippi on Wednesday.
((Guy Malvezzi))

Ten people have died and Governor Phil Bryant has declared a state of emergency for seven counties in Mississippi after a severe outbreak Wednesday. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency tweeted Saturday that two people who were missing in Benton County were found deceased.
Significant flooding took hold of the state on Christmas when approximately 10 inches of rain fell on Monroe county. Rain led to 40 county road closures, 10 city street closures in Amory and three streets closed in Smithville. Authorities in Smithville and Amory reported that 20 people were rescued by boat or vehcile due to high water.
The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado, reported to be an EF3+, touched down near Clarksdale, a town of 17,000 in Coahoma County in northwest Mississippi. Preliminary reports indicated the tornado may have traveled up to 145 miles path of the tornado from Clarksdale to near Selmar, Tennessee.
Four people were killed in Benton County, about 100 miles northwest of Clarksdale. Benton County Sheriff A.A. McMullen identified the victims as 69-year-old Max Croxton and his wife, 67-year-old Ellen Croxton, of Faulkner; 67-year-old William E. Crawford of Lamar; and 58-year-old Patricia G. Williams, also of Lamar.
Officials are still searching for Michael A. Nunnally, 47, of County Church Road in Lamar.
The National Weather Service received reports that at least 15 homes just south of Clarksdale were severely damaged or destroyed. Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett told the Associated Press the only confirmed casualty was a dog killed by storm debris, but as many as 20 homes and a local airport were hit.
At least two injuries were confirmed in Panola County, and the Sardis Fire Department reported several homes with major damage just north of town.
According to the Benton County sheriff's dispatch, there was widespread damage, power outages, trees down and reports of people trapped in homes on Hamilton Road and Minor Bridge Road in Ashland. Dozens have been reported injured in Benton County. Mississippi Highway 5 is closed.
In Marshall County, where the 7-year-old child was killed, homes have been reported damaged and power lines downed near Mississippi Highway 4 and Mississippi Highway 7, located near the city of Holly Springs.

Tennessee

Six people are dead, and the Tennessee Department of Agency (TEMA) has declared a Level III State of Emergency after severe storms swept through the state. The deaths were confirmed by the Tennessee Department of Health.
Two fatalities were confirmed in Perry County: a 70-year-old male and a 69-year-old female. The death of a 22-year-old male in Rhea County was also confirmed, as well as three deaths in Maury County: two 17-year-old males and one 16-year-old female.

According to a release from TEMA, a sewer treatment plant in Hamblen County overflowed into Turkey Creek and a sinkhole opened up in Jefferson County.

According to the Wayne County Sheriff's office, search and rescue crews went door to door to look for injured or people who may be trapped in homes or structures. The sheriff's office also said the post office in Lutts, Tennessee has been destroyed and several trees and power lines are down.

Indiana

A fast-moving line of storms delivered many 60-70mph gusts Wednesday and at least one tornado spin-up embedded along the line in Johnson County in Greenwood.
According to the NWS, an EF1 tornado touched down near town Wednesday evening, leaving a damage track around a quarter of a mile wide and about a mile long, WTHR reports.
"We do have some damage back in the woods here with a lot of tall trees that are uprooted, and there's another house where the tornado started - that northwest section is totally collapsed and there are some other homes back in there that are damaged, but just some light roof damage," NWS meteorologist Dan McCarthy told the station.
(PHOTOS: Severe Storms Rock the South)
At the height of the storm, Indianapolis Power and Light reported around 5,000 customers without power.
Additional damage was reported in Noblesville, where at least 16 homes in the Twin Oaks subdivision were affected by high winds and heavy rain. The storms also flipped an unoccupied mobile home in Noblesville along State Road 32. The sheriff's department says it hadn't been occupied in years.

Arkansas

The 18-year-old woman killed in Pope County, Arkansas, has been identified as Michaela Remus, said Pope County Sheriff Shane Jones late Wednesday evening.
The Pope County Sheriff's Office said in a press release that Remus was killed Wednesday morning when a tree fell on a home northeast of Atkins. Her 18-month-old sister, also inside the home, was rescued by emergency personnel.
The toddler was transported to a local hospital, but his or her condition is unknown. Three other people were inside the home and escaped unharmed.

Georgia

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency for three north Georgia counties - Gilmer, Fannin and Pickens - after Christmas Eve storms produced serious flooding. 

Heavy rain flooded parts of Interstate 20 in Atlanta as well, along with two stations on the the city's public rail system Thursday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority spokeswoman Saba Long said there were delays on all rail lines, and the Garnett and West End stations were closed.
“Rail service between the Five Points and Oakland City stations has been terminated and a bus bridge has been established,” she said. “This will remain in effect until it is safe to resume rail service.”
The Cateret River is flooding parts of Ellijay, and swift water teams are assisting with rescues and evacuations, the NWS reports.

Two water rescues took place Thursday morning in the city of LaGrange in Troup County, where flooding has washed out at least six roads and three more are submerged.
Secondary roads in Fannin County are flooding, and cabins along US Highway 76 are beginning to take on water. At least one county road has been completely blocked by a mudslide.
According to the NWS, there was extensive flooding on a street in Carrollton, in Carroll County, with cars stuck in the water. Several roads in Pike County are flooded as well.
The storms also knocked out power around  the state. As of mid Thursday morning Georgia Power was reporting outages affecting more than 6,000 customers.

Michigan

The NWS has confirmed an EF1 tornado hit the town of Canton Wednesday evening, the first tornado ever recorded in Michigan in December. Rich Pollman, a warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS, said damage surveys indicate the twister was on the ground for only about two minutes, moving along at about 60 mph.
“The track of the tornado was about 2 miles long and about 100 yards wide,” Pollman told the Detroit News. “We...discovered a lot of uprooted pine trees. At least four buildings had sections of their roofs blown away. Once high winds enter a building, they look for a way out.”
According to the paper, the weather service said additional damage occurred near the intersection of Joy and Haggerty, where a metal roof was ripped off a gas station, but there were no reported injuries from the storm.
Consumers Energy reported Thursday afternoon that more than 8,000 customers in western and northern Michigan were without electricity after the storms toppled trees, utility poles and power lines.

South Carolina

The National Weather Service confirmed an EF0 tornado about three miles southwest of Monck's Corner. The funnel only touched down for about a minute, and traveled less than half a mile on the ground.

Alabama

Alabama governor Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency for all Alabama counties on Friday for flooding. Serious flooding continued to plague the state well into Christmas Day with the northern half of Alabama seeing the worst of it.
“Many parts of Alabama have experienced excessive rainfall and flooding is a major concern,” Bentley said. “By issuing a State of Emergency, I have directed all state agencies to take necessary actions to be prepared to respond to the anticipated flooding across Alabama."
A tornado touched down in north-central Alabama, including part of Birmingham, on Friday, according to The Associated Press. Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards said trees are down and people were trapped inside damaged homes. Several people had to be taken to hospitals for minor injuries.
Friday authorities in Coffee County, Alabama, had to postpone a search for a 22-year-old man and 5-year-old child who were swept away after floodwaters overtook their vehicle, reports WSFA. The man and child were swept away while attempting to cross a bridge. Earlier four individuals from the same vehicle had to be rescued in the same area. Authorities planned to resume their search early Saturday.

In Birmingham, several residents became trapped in their homes after a storm that brought large hail and damaged numerous structures on the southwest side of the city. The National Weather Service said that multiple water rescues took place near the Center Point and Pinson areas with some residents in the Pratt City neighborhood reporting over three feet of water in their homes. New Hopewell Baptist Church was setup as a shelter and command center in the city.
Dozens of roads across the state were closed after floodwaters made them completely impassable. Authorities in Jefferson County advised that all drivers remain off roadways until flooding ceases across the Birmingham metropolitan area.

Louisiana

A pair of tornadoes, both rated EF1, were confirmed Monday night in Rapides Parish as a line of storms moved through. The Lake Charles office of the NWS originally said three tornadoes were confirmed, but later said only two twisters hit the area Monday night.
(MORE: The 10 Deadliest Tornadoes in U.S. History)
Both tornadoes packed maximum winds of 95 mph, and one flipped a trailer southeast of Calcasieu, injuring the man inside, according to the AP. The second tornado was in progress less than a mile from Louisiana State University's Alexandria campus, destroying one home and leaving several others with minor damage, the NWS reported.