Alabama Storm and Tornado Emergency: Update News, Latest Photos of Damages

Jenny Barry March 26, 2021 | 07:54

An apparent tornado in central Alabama caused damage in heavily populated areas of Shelby County. Latest News, Photos of Damages in Alabama and Tornado Emergency, At Least 5 Deaths.

Tornado damage in the Eagle Point community near Birmingham, Alabama, on March 25, 2021. Photos: CNN

At a Glance Alabama Tornado

Multiple people were killed and several are missing after tornadoes ripped through Alabama.
Homes were flattened.
A tornado that hit near Birmingham was part of a supercell that tracked more than 150 miles.
Severe Weather Team 2 Chief Meteorologist Glenn Burns said he’s never seen anything like it.

“This has been the longest-track tornado I have ever seen in my life,” Burns said
Severe Weather Team 2′s Brad Nitz said a Tornado Watch has been issued for all of metro Atlanta and north Georgia until 2 a.m.

Seven tornadoes have been reported in Alabama, according to the National Weather Service. And authorities have reported extensive damage in the Birmingham metro area.

At least five deaths and multiple injuries have been reported in Calhoun County, Alabama, after a tornado passed through the area Thursday afternoon, CNN report.

Alabama Emergency Management Director Brian Hastings warned residents to remain vigilant.

“There will be more injuries and we’re hoping to minimize the deaths," Hastings told The Weather Channel. "But it has been a wild day.”

The tornado hit along Highway 280, Highway 119, U.S. 31, Pelham and Helena in Shelby County. Photos and videos from the area shows snapped trees with heavily damaged homes and businesses.

Pelham Police said there were no injury reports so far but crews are continuing to check areas. Police said as many as 50 homes were damaged by th storms. Helena Police reported “major damage” from the storm.

The supercell thunderstorm continued eastward across the state line.

Students were evacuated from Cedartown High School in Polk County, Georgia, after a roof caved in near the lunchroom and a gas line reportedly ruptured, according to WGCL-TV.

According to Weather.com. planes and hangars were damaged at the city's airport. Mayor Mike Oakley told a local reporter the airport was a "total loss," with some planes flipped upside and other blown into the woods.

More than 37,00 homes and businesses were without power in Alabama as of about 7 p.m. CDT, according to poweroutage.us. About 5,000 outages were being reported in Georgia.

In parts of Tennessee, including Nashville, hail and wind knocked down trees and power lines.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center issued a rare "high risk" severe weather forecast through tonight from northern parts of Mississippi and Alabama into a portion of south-central Tennessee.

The National Weather Service has issued:

The National Weather Service office in Birmingham, Alabama, has issued a "tornado emergency" for areas just south and east of the city, in Shelby and Jefferson counties, indicating there is a tornado that could have a potentially significant impact to human life and catastrophic destruction to property.

"Tornado safety plans, everyone," the office said on Twitter. "Get low, get in the middle of the building. DON'T WAIT TO THE LAST MINUTE. TAKE COVER NOW!"

Here is what to know about the weather:

Damaging winds, isolated tornadoes and hail still possible
Some areas could see several inches of rain
Flash flood warning for Bartow, Cherokee, Dawson, Gilmer, Gordon, Pickens, Union and Towns until 3:15 a.m.

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for…

Northeastern Calhoun County in east central Alabama…

Northeastern Cleburne County in east central Alabama…

Southeastern Cherokee County in northeastern Alabama…

* Until 1145 AM CDT.

* At 1118 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Pleasant

Gap, or near Piedmont, moving east at 55 mph.

HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

SOURCE…Radar indicated.

IMPACT…Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage

to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include…

Piedmont, Pleasant Gap, Knightens Crossroads, Liberty Hill, Oak

Level, Borden Springs and Spring Garden.

LIVE UPDATES on the threat of a dangerous severe weather outbreak in central Alabama

10:58 p.m.

Floyd County and Polk County schools will be closed on Friday due to storm damage and flooding. Calhoun City Schools will be opening two hours late.

10:13 p.m.

Polk County Schools will be closed on Friday. Calhoun City Schools will be delayed 2 hours as well.

9:51 p.m.

Tornado Warning for Chambers, Clay, Randolph and Tallapoosa counties until 10:45 pm. At 9:50 pm, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Goldville, or 12 miles northeast of Alexander City, moving east at 60 mph.

Video tornadoes rip through Alabama, destroying homes and businesses:

—

9:32 p.m.

Tornado watch continues for the following Alabama counties until 1 a.m. Friday:

Calhoun
Chambers
Clay
Cleburne
Coosa
Elmore
Lee
Macon
Randolph
St. Clair
Talladega
Tallapoosa

—

9:22 p.m.

Tornado Warning for Coosa County until 10pm. At 9:22pm, a confirmed tornado was located over Lyle, or near Rockford, moving northeast at 45 mph.

—

9:17 p.m.

Tornado Warning for Coosa County until 10pm. At 9:17pm, a confirmed tornado was located over Rockford, moving east at 70 mph.

The warning for Chilton County has been canceled.

9:06 p.m.

Tornado warning for Chilton and Coosa counties until 10 p.m. At, 9:06 p.m., a confirmed tornado was located over Higgins Ferry Park, 10 miles east of Clanton, moving east at 70 mph.

—

9:01 p.m.

Alabama Power reports 28,600 outages statewide including 15,000 in the Birmingham area.

8:51 p.m.

Severe thunderstorm warning continues for Blount, Etowah and St. Clair counties until 9:30 p.m. At 8:51 p.m., severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Oneonta to Steele, moving northeast at 75 mph.

—

8:38 p.m.

Severe thunderstorm warning continues for Chilton County until 9:15 p.m. At 8:38 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Maplesville, or 15 miles southwest of Clanton, moving northeast at 60 mph.

—

8:28 p.m.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Blount, Jefferson, and St. Clair counties until 9:15 p.m. At 8:28 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located near Fultondale, moving northeast at 75 mph.

—

8:05 p.m.

EMA officials in Etowah County say there is severe flooding across the county. About 30 roads are flooded right now. Etowah County Schools said all schools will be closed Friday due to flooding.

7:45 p.m.

A tornado watch continues for the following Alabama counties until 1 a.m. Friday:

Autauga
Bibb
Calhoun
Chambers
Chilton
Clay
Cleburne
Coosa
Dallas
Elmore
Hale
Jefferson
Lee
Lowndes
Macon
Marengo
Montgomery
Perry
Randolph
Shelby
St. Clair
Talladega
Tallapoosa
Tuscaloosa

—

6:40 p.m.

Birmingham firefighters say about 30 homes were damaged by fallen trees in the Roebuck area. Officials said the damaged homes have been searched and there are no injuries to report at this time.

—

6:30 p.m.

Calera's police chief confirms multiple homes were damaged and rescue operations are underway in the Timberline community.

—

6:15 p.m.

Alabama Power reports 30,000 outages statewide including 16,500 in metro Birmingham.

—

5:55 p.m.

Tornado Emergency continues for parts of Shelby County, including areas around Columbiana and Wilsonville. The storm was moving toward Fayetteville and Childersburg, in Talladega County.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Tuscaloosa and Bibb counties until 8:15 p.m. At 7:33 p.m., severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 6 miles southeast of Shelton State Community College to 6 miles east of Evansville, moving northeast at 75 mph.

Here’s a look at some of the early photos of damage. We will update as more is available as storms continue to track through the area: