TEXAS: Several powerful tornadoes tore through northern Alabama on Thursday, killing at least five people, injuring dozens of others and destroying entire neighborhoods.
The five confirmed fatalities were in Ohatchee, a town of about 1,200 people in the northwestern corner of the state where a twister ripped apart homes and downed trees and power lines, according to the Calhoun County Emergency Management Agency.
Calhoun County coroner Pat Brown confirmed to the Gadsden Times newspaper that three of those killed were family members in a house that was hit. In addition, an adult male died in his mobile home, and a female adult died in another mobile home.
No more fatalities were expected, Brown said
Rescue crews were tending to injured survivors and searching for additional victims, the agency said.
Photos posted on social media showed a line of buildings near Ohatchee that had collapsed or been ripped apart, with roofs sheared off, exposing furniture and other contents. A white church steeple, still intact, rested next to a destroyed structure.
In Pelham, Alabama, about 60 miles southwest of Ohatchee, fire chief Mike Reid told news website Al.com that about 60 homes were damaged in the area, but no fatalities or injuries were reported.
Tens of thousands of people were left without power.
Allison Allred, a 23-year-old floral designer, hid in a hallway with her 73-year-old grandmother in their home in Georgia's Bartow County, near the Alabama state line.
"I was crying. ... We got really panicked. ... My heart was racing. It was awful," she said in a phone interview. "It had been hailing and it was raining so heavy you couldn't see anything. It was very dark, but thankfully we are safe."
A police officer in Florence was struck by lightning as he set up road barriers, the police department there said. The officer was "conscious and responsive" at North Alabama Medical Center, Florence police said on Twitter.
At least two storms produced long tracking, violent tornadoes that swept across about 100 miles of Alabama on Thursday afternoon, said Chris Darden, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Birmingham.
"SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE"
More tornadoes may have touched down in the area, Darden said, but the number of twisters would be unknown until a survey can be completed in the coming days.
"The number is not as important as the magnitude of what has transpired," he said. "We are seeing significant damage in several communities. There are many counties in central Alabama that have been hard hit with substantial damage."
The news website Al.com said "multiple injuries" had been suffered in Shelby County, southeast of Birmingham. No further details were immediately available.
"Shelby County has suffered significant tornado damage. We can confirm local residential structures have been completely destroyed," Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego said in a statement to Al.com. A search and outreach effort would "continue throughout the night and into the early morning hours," he said.
In Jefferson County the sheriff alerted residents that another twister had struck there. "Jefferson County now has a CONFIRMED tornado on the ground. ... SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY," the sheriff's department said on Twitter.
First lady Jill Biden canceled a trip to Alabama with actress Jennifer Garner that had been planned for Friday to promote President Joe Biden's coronavirus relief plans, according to the White House.
Reuters
Fri Mar 26 2021
![At least five killed as tornadoes rip through Alabama, destroying homes At least five killed as tornadoes rip through Alabama, destroying homes](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-03/71616726069_Tornado.jpg)
Damage is seen after tornadoes tore through Pelham, Alabama, U.S. March 25, 2021. Image obtained by REUTERS pic
![Dewan Rakyat lulus RUU Agensi Kawalan dan Perlindungan Sempadan Malaysia Dewan Rakyat lulus RUU Agensi Kawalan dan Perlindungan Sempadan Malaysia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721021538_TBSHAMSUL.jpg)
Dewan Rakyat lulus RUU Agensi Kawalan dan Perlindungan Sempadan Malaysia
Rang Undang-Undang Agensi Kawalan dan Perlindungan Sempadan Malaysia 2024 yang bertujuan menubuhkan MCBA diluluskan persidangan Dewan Rakyat, hari ini.
![PAC akan mulakan prosiding isu dibangkit LKAN Siri 2/2024 PAC akan mulakan prosiding isu dibangkit LKAN Siri 2/2024](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/61710922383_MasErmieyatiSamsud.jpg)
PAC akan mulakan prosiding isu dibangkit LKAN Siri 2/2024
Jawatankuasa Kira-Kira Wang Negara (PAC) akan memulakan prosiding bagi empat isu yang dibangkitkan dalam Laporan Ketua Audit Negara (LKAN) Siri 2/2024.
AWANI Ringkas: Kes bunuh Nur Farah Kartini | Skandal LCS
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
ADUN Rembia sertai Pas, kenapa tak umum tahun lepas? - MP Kampar
Chong Zhemin, tindakan tersebut seolah-olah satu penghinaan paling besar kepada Parlimen yang telah meluluskan pindaan Perlembagaan Persekutuan berkait Akta Antilompat Parti.
Masuk Pas untuk sama-sama susah dengan rakyat - ADUN Rembia
Muhamad Jailani berkata, sebelum ini beliau pernah menghantar surat kepada Lembaga Disiplin UMNO memohon untuk memecat keahliannya daripada parti Melayu itu.
[TERKINI] Astro dipilih sebagai penyiar rasmi Olimpik Paris 2024
Astro dipilih sebagai penyiar rasmi bagi Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 bermula hujung bulan ini.
[TERKINI] Speaker DUN Melaka tunggu surat rasmi Muhammad Jailani
DUN Melaka masih menunggu surat rasmi daripada Pas berhubung tindakan ADUN Rembia, Datuk Muhamad Jailani Khamis yang menyertai Pas.
Sasar sumbang RM500 bilion kepada kdnk tempoh tiga tahun
Selangor perlu merancakkan semula kapasiti pembuatan untuk tidak hanya memenuhi keperluan tempatan, tetapi menjadikan negeri itu sebagai asas kepada pelan peluasan ke rantau Asia Tenggara dan Asia.
![Wanita dihempap kayu balak mula sedarkan diri Wanita dihempap kayu balak mula sedarkan diri](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720789446_Wanitadihempapkay.jpg)
Wanita dihempap kayu balak mula sedarkan diri
Wanita yang nyaris maut akibat dihempap kayu balak dalam kejadian di lampu isyarat di Persimpangan Bendahara, Jalan Gua Musang-Kuala Krai di sini 9 Julai lepas, kini dilaporkan mula sedarkan diri.
Sah suspek anggota polis
Ketua Polis Selangor, Datuk Hussein Omar Khan mengesahkan suspek bunuh Nur Farah Kartini, ialah anggota polis.
Suspek juga yang dipercayai teman lelaki mangsa dan bertugas di Perak.
Suspek juga yang dipercayai teman lelaki mangsa dan bertugas di Perak.
![Syamsul Yusof nekad saman Youtuber fitnah kisah rumah tangganya Syamsul Yusof nekad saman Youtuber fitnah kisah rumah tangganya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-09/61601461139_TBSYAMSULYUSOFSAMA.jpg)
Syamsul Yusof nekad saman Youtuber fitnah kisah rumah tangganya
Pelakon dan pengarah filem, Syamsul Yusof nekad memfailkan saman ke atas pemilik sebuah saluran Youtube yang didakwa menggunakan tajuk sensasi mengenai kisah rumah tangganya.
![Perniagaan keluarga - Polis tumpas sindiket, rampas dadah RM3.41 juta Perniagaan keluarga - Polis tumpas sindiket, rampas dadah RM3.41 juta](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-06/51592816896_DatukAyobKhanMydin.jpg)
Perniagaan keluarga - Polis tumpas sindiket, rampas dadah RM3.41 juta
Polis menumpaskan sindiket pengedaran dadah antarabangsa yang turut didalangi empat sekeluarga dalam 10 serbuan di sekitar Muar dan Johor Bahru pada hujung minggu lalu.
!['Banyak kali saya minta maaf' - Isteri tunggang motosikal atas 'highway', ini penjelasan suami 'Banyak kali saya minta maaf' - Isteri tunggang motosikal atas 'highway', ini penjelasan suami](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-06/61592197152_SuamiIsteri.jpg)
'Banyak kali saya minta maaf' - Isteri tunggang motosikal atas 'highway', ini penjelasan suami
Tindakan suaminya yang mengikut rapat daripada belakang mencetuskan persoalan netizen.
![COVID-19: Pelanggan tembak tiga pekerja restoran makanan segera selepas dilarang makan dalam restoran COVID-19: Pelanggan tembak tiga pekerja restoran makanan segera selepas dilarang makan dalam restoran](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-05/41588824707_McDshoot.jpg)
COVID-19: Pelanggan tembak tiga pekerja restoran makanan segera selepas dilarang makan dalam restoran
Suspek diberitahu oleh pekerja restoran itu bahawa ruang makan ditutup dan hanya 'drive-thru' sahaja dibuka.
![MAS ketatkan tahap keselamatan dan prosedur pemantauan atas pesawat MAS ketatkan tahap keselamatan dan prosedur pemantauan atas pesawat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-04/71366177444_295x200.jpg)
MAS ketatkan tahap keselamatan dan prosedur pemantauan atas pesawat
Prosedur tersebut bagaimanapun tidak dapat didedahkan kepada umum atas sebab-sebab keselamatan.
![MH370: Taklimat peringkat tertinggi keluarga China bersama pakar profesional MH370: Taklimat peringkat tertinggi keluarga China bersama pakar profesional](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-03/81396279159_295x200.jpg)
MH370: Taklimat peringkat tertinggi keluarga China bersama pakar profesional
Satu taklimat peringkat tertinggi akan diadakan untuk keluarga China yang melibatkan beberapa pakar-pakar profesional.