At least 7 killed by tornadoes, storms in southeastern US

Washington, Jan 13 (EFE).- At least seven people have been killed by severe storms and tornadoes that hit the southeastern United States, local officials said Friday.

Rescue teams and local authorities were searching areas hit by the storms that struck on Thursday to rule out further victims and to count the damage in the states of Georgia and Alabama, the worst affected.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said her prayers were with the victims’ loved ones and their communities.

“We are all too familiar with the devastating weather, but our people are resilient,” she said on Twitter.

Several tornadoes in central Alabama left six people dead, while a seventh person died in Georgia.

In the state of Alabama, more than a dozen tornadoes were reported, with one causing significant damage in the city of Selma on Thursday, according to US media reports.

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr said the city “has received significant damage” and asked citizens to refrain from using roads and to stay away from power lines.

“Emergency response teams are on the ground providing assistance and cleaning right of ways. We are asking everyone to stay calm and stay in place until further notice,” Perkins said on Facebook.

The city has earmarked $2 million for disaster recovery.

Videos and images shared on social media showed roofs ripped off buildings, overturned vehicles, fallen trees and the streets full of rubble.

Much of the southeast of the country, including the states of Georgia, Alabama, and parts of Tennessee and North Carolina, are under a storm warning that affects 35 million people, according to the National Weather Service.

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