Washington: At least 128 people were killed when powerful storms hit several southern American states. news agencies reported on Thursday.
Fifteen people died in Tuscaloosa. Sections of the city were destroyed and the city’s infrastructure devastated after a tornado hit the area.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said in statement issued on Thursday that the damage was spread over a wide area, flattening buildings, ripping down trees and power lines and triggering floods.
Reports said, a nuclear power plant west of Huntsville lost power and was operating on diesel generators. In Mississippi, 11 deaths were reported; four people were killed in Georgia and one in Tennessee.
A hospital said its emergency room had admitted about 100 people, but had treated 400.
“What we faced today was massive damage on a scale we have not seen in Tuscaloosa in quite some time,” Mayor Walter Maddox told reporters, adding that he expected his city’s death toll to rise.
“This could be the worst tornado in Alabama’s history,” said meteorologist Josh Nagelberg of AccuWeather.com.
The storms spread destruction from Tuesday night and Wednesday from Texas to Georgia, and it was forecast to hit the Carolinas before moving further north-east. Several states suffered power outages as well as property and infrastructure damage that could prove costly to repair. Floods were a concern throughout the storm-hit area, where rain compounded with melted snow to cause rising rivers and saturated soils.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription