Tornadoes sweep across southeastern US, killing at least three: Officials

Tornadoes sweep across southeastern US, killing at least three: Officials
December 17, 2019, 10:51 am

A house in Alabama destroyed by a tornado. (File photo Reuters)

Tornadoes swept across swaths of the southeastern US killing at least two people in northern Alabama and one person in Louisiana, tearing roofs off buildings, splintering trees and downing powerlines, officials said on Tuesday.

Most of the tornado and storm damage was reported in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas starting early Monday, sheriff’s officials told local media.

Survey teams will be sent out at first light Tuesday to assess the extent of the damage, said Rich Thompson, a lead forecaster at the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center.

“Initial reports suggest the first tornado was reported in Louisiana around 10:35 (a.m.) CST and first tornado fatality were somewhere around 11:18 a.m. CST,” said NWS meteorologist Jared Guyer.

More rain and wind are expected overnight and into Tuesday as the storms push off into southeastern Georgia, Florida’s panhandle and the Carolina coasts in the morning hours.

At least 28,300 people had power outages in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, according to the tracking site Poweroutage.Us.

source: Reuters

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