218 people are reported dead, including 128 killed in Alabama and 11 dead in Georgia, as massive tornados ripped through the south yesterday.
Jabriel Branch, (pictured right) of McComb, Mississippi, died when a tree crashed through the roof of her family home last night.
Rescue workers are still searching through rubble for survivors in the northwest corner of Georgia, which was the hardest hit. 7 people were reported killed in Catoosa County in north GA. Two people are reported dead in Spalding County, south of Atlanta.
So far GEMA is reporting only 11 people dead in Georgia. GEMA spokesman Chrystal Paulk-Buchanan said the death toll is expected to climb throughout the day. 30 injured people have been taken to area hospitals.
Severe thunderstorms moved through the area south of Atlanta last night knocking down trees and power lines and leaving about 1,500 Georgia Power customers in the dark. Luckily, the storms spared metro Atlanta.
“There’s really no explanation,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Gibbs of why the storms skipped Atlanta. “It’s just the way the storms set up.”
Sgt. Joe Peavy of Spalding County and his 11-year-old daughter are counting their blessings this morning. They were taken to an area hospital after a tornado struck their home just off of highway 92.
“The last I heard they were doing OK, but his house is gone, his patrol car is crushed,” Spalding Sheriff’s Capt. Tony Ranieri told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “All we know is that when the tornado hit, it apparently sucked the 11-year-old girl out the bedroom window along with her bed and everything else. It was very fortunate [that she survived]. I wish everybody would have come out that way because we did have two fatalities.”
Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency covering Floyd, Dade, Catoosa and Walker counties in north Georgia. The list is expected to grow as storms continue to push through the south today.
A tornado watch and flash flood watches are still in effect for the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas until 3pm today.
Watch this video as a massive tornado ripped through Alabama yesterday.
Source: AJC and CBS/AP
May God Bless the families of the departed and watch over the survivors
Lord God! Have Mercy on our souls.. We are Watching and Praying for this too Shall Pass! Are u Ready????
God bless them all.
I’m glad the only thing I had to deal with was the power being out at work all day. Some people lost everything but if you walk away from this alive be thankful.
Geese, I live in Spalding County. I went out last night, after the storm to get a slushy, when the power came back on, I seen rescue workers racing down the street. Man, this is just beyond crazy.
Thank God I made it it hit all around me but Im still here!
@al
HAPPY TO HEAR THAT..
Im praying for all those who are lost under the destruction. Im sure the death toll will increase but I pray that they find people still alive. If you want to help out go to you local Red Cross they are taking donations and looking for volunteers.
Sandra- what happened? I refreshed and the number went from 193 to 218?!?! :confused:
@Al
for everyone in the path of these storms.
Glad you are okay, hon. I
Dc/MD/VA has been on tornado watch since yesterday during my commute home. I have never really seen a tornado watch in Baltimore until yesterday. I worry that if one strikes, a lot of us are out of luck because to my knowledge, we don’t have warning sirens like many places in the South.Midwest have.
That truly bothers me…
Good Mornting!!! This right here is extremely sad!! RIP to all!
so sad
we have tornado warnings and watches all the time in Texas, but I’ve never actually seen a tornado. couldn’t imagine it. my mom once told me that it sounds like a train. so when i was younger and home alone and it was storming and i heard a train (it was actually a train) i would run in the closet with a pillow :-/
Just seeing those tornados last night was scary and amazing. I mean its nothing you can do but pray. Maybe thats where we should be anyway.
@Al
Negro- you sat up actually LOOKING at the tornadoes?! ARE YOU BLACK?! We RUN and look when the sh*t is over with, not DURING?!?!
Jesus be a fence and a protector
Tragic all around. My heart goes out to the victims especially the baby above. Thank God I live in the Portland area where the only annoyance is rain.
SASO I looked outside I didnt chase it I am black and Thankful
I am still waiting to hear from my brother, his wife, and their three small children. So far, I have been told that they have no power. I sent him a text but have heard nothing and his cell phone keeps going to voice mail. Please pray!
Im praying with you DND! All is Well! We pray peace to your mind and safety and protection to your family in Jesus Name!
@DoNot
Hopefully it’s just their cell tower knocked down. Hope all your folks are ok!!!
Thank God the only thing we had hree were thunderstorms. There were some downed tree limbs and stuff but no one killed or hurt.
Some of my family was hit by the tornado. Some of them are with me and my mom. I pray for those who didn’t make it and there family. It was trully scary last night.
I live in OK so this time of year always gets me antsy…Last year we had an epic hail storm…thankfully I have a carport so the damage was minimal to my car. I thank God I live in a downstairs unit in times like this. I’m keeping them all in prayer.
truth im glad you guys are okay
Praying for those hit by the tornado. Makes you count your blessings because that could have easily been any of us. Grateful to see another day.
@ Kisha I know right Im looking at the pictures on line and it doesnt seem real. Makes me thankful for real though.
Have y’all already discussed Soulja boy bootleg dvd “Juice” remake? I heard he will shame himself and fail at covering Bishop (TuPac’s role) and it will also “star” (by star I mean like Young Dro’s girlfriends dried up peach seed) Waka Flacka, and Cameron… I think Waka is playing the fat dude who was cooking the eggs, bologna, and beer breakfast thing.
OAN Have y’all covered the whole Diamond and Soulja boy bankruptcy and repo new found love relationship…
I’ve been MIA so I am late and behind… did Sandra give up the $500?
Wow!!!! I’m
ing hard for all that were effected by those storms.
@AL, I’m glad to hear that you and your family are okay.
Thanks Mirs!
DoNotDeleteMe says:
I am still waiting to hear from my brother, his wife, and their three small children. So far, I have been told that they have no power. I sent him a text but have heard nothing and his cell phone keeps going to voice mail. Please pray!
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@AL I live in Mobile, so we missed the worst part of the storm, but the news showed where a news station in B’ham storm camera caught it on tape. It was something serious. I lived in B’ham and Huntsville and never seen a tornado that bad.
@ Kisha I live on the east side of birmingham it just missed us but tore stuff up all around my house. Yea they saying its the worst storm in history here.
This is the saddest thing, natural disasters are at the top of my worst fears. I stayed up most the nite tracking the storm. I pray for the families that lost loved ones..
This is way I try not to complain about rainy weather or a little hail damage. I’ll take that any day then over the weather disaters some have face.
My thoughts and prayers are with all of the families affected by these storms.
Thanks for the prayers! Everyone in my family is accounted for. Just received a text from my brother. All is well. Thank You Lord! You are Awesome!