4 dead after tornado hits Alabama town amid southeastern US severe weather outbreak

By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather staff writer

January 3,2017, 8:58:43PM,EST

 

 At least five people were killed across the Southeast following an outbreak of severe weather that affected the region from Monday into early Tuesday.

Four people died in the southeastern Alabama town of Rehobeth after a suspected tornado swept through the area Monday night and blew a tree onto a home, authorities said.
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley confirmed the fatalities on his twitter account.

Debris lies on the ground after a storm south of Mount Olive, Miss., moved through the area Monday, Jan. 2, 2017. (Ryan Moore/WDAM-TV via AP)

A fifth fatality was reported in Florida after a man was found dead of an accidental drowning following flooding near the Shoal River in Walton County, Florida.
Sheriff’s deputies found the victim, 70-year-old William Patrick Corley of DeFuniak Springs, floating face down near his trailer and his car partially submerged shortly after noon on Monday.

The potent storms caused widespread damage due to powerful winds that caused trees to topple onto cars and homes and heavy rains that triggered the flooding. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center listed 12 tornado reports from Monday among other storm reports.
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In Mississippi, damage reports came in from 20 counties, but no injuries were reported. Over 20,000 were left without power following the storms, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
Trees were downed and buildings were reported damaged in 15 parishes in Louisiana and 15 counties in Texas, the Associated Press reported.