Published: April 4,2017
At least five people have died in a severe weather outbreak that spanned from Texas all the way to the Carolinas over the course of two days.
According to WSOC-TV, 65-year-old J.C. Matthews Jr. was killed Monday in Union, South Carolina, when a mobile home was flipped by strong winds. Storm reports from the National Weather Service suggest the death was caused by straight-line winds, not a tornado, but a survey will be necessary to make the final decision.
Officials announced two more deaths Monday morning from the impacts of a severe weather outbreak in Mississippi. The body of 52-year-old Jacqueline Williams was recovered Monday morning in Florence after her vehicle ran off the road and was carried away by fast-moving floodwaters hours earlier, according to the Associated Press. Rankin County Coroner David Ruth told the AP she called 911 from the sinking car, but authorities were unable to reach Williams before the vehicle became submerged.
"It was quick. It was really quick," Florence Police Chief Richard Thomas told WJTV.
(MORE: When the Next Severe Weather Outbreak Is Possible)
In the town of Glendora, a woman died Sunday night when a tree fell onto her house, the AP also reported. The woman was later identified as Shirley Thomas, the wife of Mayor Johnny B. Thomas, who was hospitalized with minor injuries, the report added.
About 30 people were evacuated early Monday after flash flooding inundated homes in Rankin County, according to the National Weather Service. Water rescues were also underway at the Laurel Park Apartments in Rankin County.
There have been multiple reports of flash flooding across parts of Mississippi into Louisiana.
Several school districts in Alabama were closed or planned to dismiss students early Monday as the state prepared for damaging storms. WKRG.com reported schools in Clarke and Washington counties, as well as the city of Thomasville, will be closed Monday.
Numerous other school districts sent students home early Monday, according to WTVY.com.
More than 27,000 homes and businesses were without power across Alabama Monday morning, according to Alabama Power.
Storms Move into Georgia
Damage to a building is seen in Gordon, Georgia, on Monday, April 3, 2017.(WGXA-TV/Richard Clark)
Tens of thousands also lost power in the Peach State as a line of storms moved in late Monday morning. Tree and power line damage was reported in Carrollton, and to the southeast, authorities worked to free residents trapped in Griffin during the storms, according to local reports.
Georgia Power said more than 50,000 customers were in the dark Monday afternoon. In Middle Georgia, trees were downed onto Interstate 75 in Monroe County Monday afternoon, according to the county sheriff. Injuries were reported in the area, though little was known about the nature of those injuries.
"We got smacked pretty hard," Monroe County emergency management director Matt Perry told the Macon Telegraph.
In Augusta, a practice round for the PGA Tour's Masters tournament was suspended in mid-afternoon.
Twisters Claim Two Lives in Louisiana
On Sunday, several tornadoes were reported from Texas to Louisiana, including an EF1 tornado that flipped a mobile home around 9:30 a.m. in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, killing a mother and daughter. According to The St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office, Francine Gotch, 38, and her 3-year-old daughter, Neville Alexander, were inside their mobile home when the tornado struck.Eyewitnesses at the scene told KLFY.com that there were other injuries from the twister. The storm whipped up winds of at least 100 mph and remained on the ground for a mile.
"It was a tragedy that could have been even worse," St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Maj. Ginny Higgins told USA Today. "We are very much on edge. I hate the spring because we always have these awful storms."
Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency before he went out to survey the damage Monday afternoon. During a Sunday news conference, Edwards warned residents that they should be on "high alert."
"It is an extremely dangerous weather event," he added.
(MORE: 4 Reasons to Take a Squall Line as Seriously as a Tornado Warning)
Near Winnsboro, Louisiana, one person was injured Sunday afternoon when a tree fell onto his or her vehicle. There were at least 15 structures damaged in the area, including two that were destroyed.
In Vicksburg, Mississippi, at least two people were rescued from floodwaters, according to an NWS report. In just 48 minutes Sunday night, 2.85 inches of rain fell in the city, which triggered the flash floods.
Several Louisiana towns also reported flooding; in Pollock, some 40 percent of streets were flooded Sunday night, the NWS also said.
There were reports of damage on South MacArthur Drive near U.S. 165 in the Alexandria, Louisiana, area Sunday after a reported tornado was in the area, the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office said.
A roof was torn off a home, trees were downed and flying metal was reported in Alexandria Sunday, according to the NWS.
More than 10,000 were without power in Louisiana Monday morning, according to Cleco.
Dangerous Storms, Floods Hit Texas
The Lone Star State was also impacted by this round of severe weather. According to the Austin American-Statesman, strong winds uprooted large trees and caused structural damage along Austin's Lake Travis, and although no injuries were reported, residents were sent scrambling for safe shelter as the storms arrived."As soon as I got to the hallway, it was like a big explosion happened and all the windows shattered and the wood was flying and the roof peeled off, and I ran back into the bathroom and crawled into the shower," local resident Karen Rego told the American-Statesman. "When the noise stopped, I got up and like half of my house was gone."
A state trooper reported seeing a tornado in progress Sunday morning near Center Point, the AP reported. There were no reports of major or structural damage.
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