Hard storms and tornadoes hit central Alabama on Thursday, causing five deaths and widespread damage to houses and other structures, Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown confirmed to Fox News.
Meteorologists warned local residents that severe weather conditions would continue in some parts of the Mid-South and Tennessee River Valley until at least 8 p.m., local time. According to CNN, 14 tornadoes damaged nearly 60 houses and structures in the town of Pelham, some trapping people inside. Almost 36,000 Alabama residents went without electricity for a period of time after the twisters struck.
"The most persistent/intense supercells will be capable of producing strong to violent tornadoes, along with very large hail and substantial damaging winds," the National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center announced on Thursday.
NWS issued emergency alerts for Shelby and Jefferson counties, along with areas to the south and east of the city of Birmingham. High threat levels remain throughout northern Alabama, including Birmingham, Tuscaloosa and Huntsville.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey urged residents to follow safety rules during storms.
Netizens shared photos and video on social media, depicting destroyed properties.
Recorded a whole tornado. Birmingham, Alabama pic.twitter.com/c02UYwIWLY
— Tyler McMillan (@secretlydepres2) March 25, 2021
Eagle Point neighborhood here in Alabama pic.twitter.com/ykQ6Qux2Qb
— Ginger Zee (@Ginger_Zee) March 25, 2021
At Alabama Mobile Storage in Pelham pic.twitter.com/8Bxye3txXF
— Cindy Honeycutt (@mcscutt) March 25, 2021
This terrifying video was taken at Griffin Park at Eagle Point near Lee Branch and US-280. --> https://t.co/rfXDGIvRHe (Source: Matt Williams) pic.twitter.com/LNlh3fucvz
— WBRC FOX6 News (@WBRCnews) March 25, 2021
CENTREVILLE NEEDS HELP pic.twitter.com/5UDl2dwgtN
— Brayden Siau (@BraydenSiau) March 25, 2021
This video was taken at Griffin Park at Eagle Point
— Michael Barthel (@RealMiBaWi) March 25, 2021
🎥 Matt Williams#AlWx #Birmingham #JeffersonCounty #Alabama #Tornado #Tornados #Tornadoes #TornadoWatch #tornadowarning #Tornadooutbreak pic.twitter.com/V6B2bNUlTX
NEW #VIDEO! Numerous tornado and damage clips from multiple storm chasers in the field today across Alabama. #alwx #tornado pic.twitter.com/2F59kvaW0u
— Live Storms Media (@LiveStormsMedia) March 26, 2021
This is my house in Indian Springs, AL. Likely a tornado that moved through less than 10 minutes ago along hwy 119.
— Ashley Gann (@gannweather) March 25, 2021
Trees uprooted in our backyard. #tornado #alwx #alstorma #alabamatornado @NWSBirmingham @CBS_42 @Dave_Nussbaum @SarahCantey @GriffinHardyWX @TheArtFranklin pic.twitter.com/1kS9VQvjhh
Tornado intercept - Crossing I65 Calera, Alabama #alwx #skybama #tornado
— Kevin Henderson (SkyBama) (@kd4zgn) March 26, 2021
***NOT FOR BROADCAST*** Contact Brett Adair with Live Storms Media to license. brett@livestormsnow.com pic.twitter.com/jSsrjicIzM
Here's a radar loop of the long-tracked, likely violent tornado that occurred in Alabama this evening. #alwx pic.twitter.com/vD99dY43dH
— ⛈️ Braxton Banks 🌪️ (@BraxBanksOKWX) March 25, 2021
