More than a dozen tornadoes have left Alabama in debris, killing at least seven people nationwide.
MONTGOMERY – Multiple tornadoes wreaked havoc in the US state of Alabama on Thursday, January 12. Governor Kay Ivey said on Twitter that six people had died in the storm in her state so far.
The AFP news agency reports that the deaths occurred in Autauga County, near the capital, Montgomery. There was also a tornado in Dallas County, Alabama.
Tornado disaster in US kills seven
The mayor of the town of Selma, the administrative center of the district, reports significant damage. Residents are told to stay away from the roads and downed power poles to avoid endangering themselves. Overall, there are said to have been more than a dozen tornadoes in the United States.
A state of emergency has been declared in numerous counties in Alabama because of the violent storms. The tornadoes have partly left behind veritable fields of debris. Videos on social networks show cars flying through the area and lying wildly in the streets.
Severe weather warning in Alabama and Georgia: Seven dead from tornadoes in the USA
A video shows a house that was completely ripped out of the ground and landed in one piece on the roof of another house.
The National Weather Service also issued tornado warnings for the neighboring state of Georgia. According to authorities, there has already been one death there. A motorist was killed by a fallen tree.
About 100,000 households in Alabama and Georgia are said to have been without power in the meantime. This is reported by the website poweroutage.us. Tornadoes are not uncommon in the United States and have repeatedly claimed lives in the past. (Jana Ballweber)
