Deadly tornadoes hit Alabama, leaving a path of destruction

More than 30 million Americans across the South face the threat of bad weather Thursday night, which has already spawned several deadly tornadoes. The series of devastating tornadoes sent sparks and debris flying across northeastern Alabama.

At least five people were killed by the storms in Calhoun County, Alabama, which is northeast of Birmingham. There are also reports of people trapped in destroyed houses.

Much of Alabama is in a state of emergency as a large tornado left a trail of destruction in an area 80 kilometers from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham on Thursday. Tornado and flood warnings have been published in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.

Strong winds plucked trees and sent them against the roofs. Some of the worst damage occurred in the Eagle Point subdivision in Shelby County, Alabama. Torn roofs revealed the interiors of the rooms, and images of drones showed homeowners scanning the rubble.

“It was scary,” said owner Carol Willis. “The noise was unbelievable.”

Willis’s garage was damaged, but his home was mostly spared. She described the scary moments that the tornado hit in her community.

“I was standing at the window of this room, I looked outside and it started to get dark. I said, well, I better get out of this room. I had a metal trash can. I said, well, let me run to the my pantry. I put the garbage can on my head, I went in there, I was not more than two minutes. I went out and saw all this.

The city of Pelham was also hit hard. Just 20 miles south of Birmingham, at least 14,000 people in the area are without power.