(AP) A line of severe thunderstorms Sunday across the Southeast killed one woman, knocked out power to about 16,000 in Alabama and Georgia and spawned several possible tornadoes, although no significant damage was reported. A 46-year-old Laurel, Miss., woman was struck and killed by a tree that fell on her while she was standing outside her home, said Jones County Coroner Nancy Barnett. Another Jones County resident was injured, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for three counties in west Alabama and later expanded it to include suburban Birmingham. A funnel cloud was reported to the weather service at 1:44 p.m. near Helena in Shelby County south of Birmingham and a possible small tornado was spotted about an hour later near Riverside in east Alabama. There were reports of structural damage and trees and power lines down in counties south and southwest of the greater Birmingham area. No injuries were reported. In northwest Georgia, police say at least four funnel clouds were spotted but caused no significant damage. The storms also knocked out power to about 10,000 customers around the Atlanta-metro area. On Saturday, several cars were destroyed and two homes slightly damaged when a huge oak fell during a storm in the city.—-Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected]
Possible tornadoes seen in Alabama, Georgia
By The Associated Press
May 2, 2009