Monday, January 23, 2017

At least 20 people were killed in severe weather that struck Mississippi and Georgia this weekend.


 







Jeff Bullard, left, sits in what used to be the foyer of his home, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency in several counties, including Cook, that have suffered deaths, injuries and severe damage from weekend storms. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)

Updated Jan. 23, 2017, 10:50 a.m.

At least 20 people were killed in severe weather that struck Mississippi and Georgia this weekend.



Heavy damage to homes and buildings has been reported in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

There were more than 200 reports of severe weather and more than two dozen reports of tornadoes this weekend as of early Sunday morning in an ongoing multi-day tornado and severe weather outbreak, according to the Weather Channel.

The National Weather Service issued a rare "high risk" alert for severe thunderstorms, including strong tornadoes Sunday afternoon and evening for southern Georgia and northern Florida. This is the first high-risk alert issued since June 2014, according to CNN. 

Significant damage was reported in Albany, in southwest Georgia, after a large tornado went through the area Sunday afternoon as an outbreak of severe storms continued to pound the South.

A fatal tornado struck southern Mississippi on Saturday. Preliminary damage assessments conducted in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on Saturday showed the tornado packed winds reaching between 136 and 165 mph.

In Alabama, 15 counties reported storm-related damage.

Reported tornadoes damaged at least 8 homes in Scottsville, Texas, late Saturday afternoon. KTAL reports that the entire area is without power as crews work to clear downed power lines and trees. Luckily, no one was injured. 
Take a look at some of the extensive property damage from weekend storms:


A man walks through debris at a home that was damaged by a tornado, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)


A resident of Petal, Miss., makes a cell phone call as cleanup continues from Saturday's twister that damaged much of the city, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. The tornado also destroyed a portion of southern Hattiesburg. (Ryan Moore/WDAM-TV, via AP)


Downed trees rest on a shed and vehicle belonging to Mike Herington damaged near Baxley, Ga., early Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. The National Weather Service said Sunday that southern Georgia, northern Florida and the corner of southeastern Alabama could face "intense and long track" tornadoes, scattered damaging winds and large hail. (AP Photo/Lewis Levine)


Jenny Bullard carries a pair of boots from her home that was damaged by a tornado, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency in several counties, including Cook, that have suffered deaths, injuries and severe damage from weekend storms. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)


The remains of a house sit in a debris pile along Highway 122 as power line workers repair a downed line Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, near Barney, Ga. (AP Photo/Phil Sears)


A woman holds a child while walking through a farm that was damaged by a tornado, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)




Ren, who only gave his first name, retrieves clothing from a damaged car parked at a home that was hit by a tornado, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)


A man walks through a farm that was damaged by a tornado, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)


Damage from an apparent tornado Sunday, January 22 at a farm In Cook County, Georgia (AP Photo/Brendan Farrington)


People are reflected in a swimming pool as they work to clean up at a home that was damaged by a tornado, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, in Adel, Ga. (AP Photo/Branden Camp)


Fallen trees sit near Zoar United Methodist Church that sustained damage to its steeple Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, near Baxley, Georgia. (AP Photo/Lewis Levine)


Hardly anything remains of the home of Jessie and Diana Mills of the Pine Grove Community near Magee, Miss., following a direct hit by a possible morning tornado, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017. Several homes and businesses were affected by the strong winds that blew through several central Mississippi counties. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)


Trees and debris cover the ground after a tornado tornado ripped through the Hattiesburg, Miss., area early Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. Mayor Johnny DuPree has signed an emergency declaration for the city, which reported "significant injuries" and structural damage. (Ryan Moore/WDAM-TV via AP)

Students that were in the dorms pulled all their undamaged possessions their rooms as cleanup began at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss., following an early morning tornado blew through, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017. Four people were killed by the twister that hit south Hattiesburg, as roofs were ripped from homes and churches, and trees were torn from the earth. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)