Damaging winds and potential tornadoes wreaked havoc on Wednesday as severe storms swept across the southern region of the United States, stretching from Texas to Georgia. The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings, particularly in southeast Alabama and southwest Georgia, alerting residents to the possibility of hurricane-force winds exceeding 90 mph (145 kph) in parts of northeast Louisiana and central Mississippi. Large hail was also reported in some areas.
Videos shared by witnesses captured tornadoes hitting Abbeville and Eufala in Alabama. In Georgia, authorities in Troup County reported that a person was struck by lightning, but no details about their condition were immediately available.
The storms left tens of thousands of people without power in Alabama and Georgia, according to the respective power providers. At one point, close to 50,000 people in Alabama alone were affected by the outages.
Forecasters warned that the severe storm threats could continue into Thursday, with the greatest risk expected in southern Alabama and Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, as well as parts of Oklahoma, northern Texas, and southern Kansas.
Felecia Bowser, the meteorologist in charge for the National Weather Service in Tallahassee, Florida, described the inland storm system as unprecedented for this time of year. Normally, June is a time when preparations are made for tropical weather, but the widespread and aggressive precipitation seen on this occasion is more typical of spring.
In southwest Georgia, two individuals managed to escape unharmed from a home that was destroyed by the storms. The Calhoun County Sheriff reported the devastation in Quail County Plantation, near the county line with Early County. Social media videos showed a large funnel cloud near the rural city of Blakely, with neighboring communities reporting downed trees and snapped power lines. Hailstones as large as golf balls fell in the yard of Connie Hobbs, the elected commission chairman for Baker County.
Tornado warnings were issued for Albany, the largest city in southwest Georgia, and surrounding Dougherty County. However, there have been no reports of significant damage or injuries, according to county government spokesperson Wendy Howell. The primary concern in the area is flooding due to the flat terrain and existing standing water on roads.
In Alabama, the city of Eufaula near the Georgia state line experienced confirmed tornado damage. Although no immediate injuries were reported, the storm caused the collapse of a building’s wall and downed 30 to 40 trees.
Local news outlets shared viewer-submitted videos of a tornado passing through nearby Henry County, Alabama, as well as roof damage in the area.