Nine dead, more casualties expected after tornadoes rip through U.S. Southeast - Reuters.com

ATLANTA, Jan 13 (Reuters) - At slightest 9 radical died successful tornadoes that destroyed homes and knocked retired powerfulness to tens of thousands successful the U.S. Southeast, section officials said connected Friday, and the decease toll successful hard-hit cardinal Alabama was expected to rise.

The storms connected Thursday stretched from Mississippi to Georgia. At slightest 5 tornadoes touched down successful cardinal Alabama, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Jessica Laws. One of those twisters perchance tracked astir 150 miles (241 km) from southwest Selma, Alabama, to the Georgia-Alabama authorities line, she said.

Rescue teams were searching for missing radical successful Alabama's Autauga County, wherever 7 deaths person been reported, exigency absorption manager Ernie Baggett said connected MSNBC. He credited schools for redeeming much lives by not releasing students early.

County coroner Buster Barber told Reuters the fig of casualties would rise.

"We are uncovering much bodies arsenic we speak," helium said successful a telephone interview. "We've got hunt teams retired successful the area."

Storms damaged arsenic galore arsenic 50 properties successful Autauga County, according to the section sheriff's office.

In Georgia, Governor Brian Kemp confirmed 2 radical had died successful Thursday's storms. A 5-year-old kid was killed aft a histrion fell connected a car, leaving an big rider successful captious information arsenic they were driving home, Butts County Coroner Lacey Prue said.

A authorities worker besides was killed portion responding to the storm, Kemp said.

Images from the terrible storms showed wide harm successful Selma, a pivotal tract of the U.S. civilian rights movement. A tornado tore disconnected rooftops and hurled debris. Multiple businesses and homes were destroyed, and trees were ripped from their roots.

Residents were visibly shaken by the experience, and immoderate counted themselves fortunate to beryllium alive.

One pistillate began to outcry arsenic she described riding retired the tempest successful her bathtub. She said the winds picked up her trailer, destroying everything inside.

Ray Hogg said helium recovered structure wrong a state club.

"You could perceive the roar, solid going everywhere," helium said. "You could perceive the extortion virtually being torn disconnected close implicit our heads."

Officials confirmed 4 tornadoes touched down successful Georgia, mostly southeast of Atlanta but causing harm crossed the state, with winds peeling disconnected roofs, knocking down houses and uprooting trees.

Just southeast of Atlanta, a freight bid had 3 of its cars blown disconnected the tracks, blocking traffic. No injuries from that incidental were reported, officials said.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey connected Thursday declared a authorities of exigency for the six counties of Autauga, Chambers, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore and Tallapoosa.

Nearly 20,000 customers were without powerfulness successful Alabama connected Friday, according to PowerOutage.us. The tempest besides led to powerfulness outages successful neighboring states of Mississippi and Georgia.

Tornado sirens successful Monroe County successful northeast Mississippi, wherever a twister made landfall, failed to activate arsenic the tempest moved done the area, section quality reported.

Reporting by Tyler Clifford successful New York and Rich McKay successful Atlanta Editing by Colleen Jenkins, Matthew Lewis and Josie Kao

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