A severe storm system that spawned multiple tornadoes across several southern US states on Saturday resulted in at least four deaths and widespread damage. The tornadoes caused at least 45 reports of damage across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, according to Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. AccuWeather reported over 200 storm reports in total, including nearly four dozen tornadoes.
At least five tornadoes hit the Houston area alone, claiming one life. A 48-year-old woman was found approximately 100 feet from her home in the Liverpool area south of Houston. In Mississippi, two more fatalities were reported: an 18-year-old killed when a tree fell on her home in Adams County, and another person in Lowndes County. State officials also reported at least eight injuries across Mississippi. A 70-year-old man was also killed in a separate incident in Statesville, North Carolina, when a tree fell on his truck.
The storm system caused significant damage to hundreds of homes and buildings, with assessments ongoing. PowerOutage.us reported at least 60,000 power outages across the affected states on Saturday. The timing of the storms, coinciding with peak holiday travel, led to hazardous road and air travel conditions. Reuters reported over 7,000 flight delays and more than 200 cancellations in the US on Saturday.