At least three people have died as a powerful storm system continues to lash much of the South, spawning tornadoes, causing flash flooding and leaving over 250,000 homes without power overnight.
Driving the news: Powerful winds and rain damaged homes, downed power lines and tress and saw boat rescues from Texas to Virginia on Tuesday, AP notes, and the threat remains for several states.
⛈850pm - Line of storms continues to lie down as it nears the coast. We continue to transition to a flash flood threat as storms repeatedly move over the same locations. pic.twitter.com/5W7MZZi33K
— NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) May 5, 2021
- Some 11 million people in Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and Mississippi, Georgia and Arkansas were most at risk from the severe weather, per the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.
- There was an "enhanced risk" of severe thunderstorms and "damaging winds" from Alabama into Georgia Tuesday night, per the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.
The big picture: The severe weather has been lashing the South for the past three days, with tornadoes striking Texas, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina and Kentucky Sunday and Monday, the New York Times notes.
- The NWS issued tornado watches on Tuesday Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama.
- A flash flood emergency was declared in Birmingham, Alabama, where up to 5 inches of rain fell in some areas, per the NWS.
- The storms have led to the deaths of at least three people, all from falling trees.
Zoom in: In Weakley County, Tennessee, a woman died when a tree fell on her home as storms that damaged "at least six" mobile homes lashed the state on Tuesday, authorities told WKRN-TV.
- In Douglasville, Georgia, a man was killed when power lines and a tree fell onto his car as a tornado struck the Atlanta area Monday morning, the Atlanta Constitution-Journal reports.
- In Bonaire, Georgia, a 55-year-old died after a tree fell on her home on Monday, AP notes.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
