Alabama tornado: Death toll rises!

Lee County, Alabama faced a trail of destruction as its death toll peaked to 23 in the recent tornado that has crippled life and caused rampant destruction.

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said the damage was “catastrophic” judging from the houses destroyed. Jones confirmed children were among the dead and some people are still believed to be missing and a search and rescue operation was ongoing.

The Sheriff said that he hadn’t seen this level of destruction in 50 years.

“I cannot recall, at least in the last 50 years, and longer than that, a situation where we have had this type, this loss of life that we experienced today,” said the sheriff of Lee County, Alabama, of the possible tornado that hit the area. https://t.co/fzH4wCp3Y0 pic.twitter.com/uJql6MaLD6

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 4, 2019

The tornado traveled straight down a key local artery in Beauregard and its path of destruction appeared to be half mile wide. The sheer level of damage caused by blackouts that spanned across many areas. Weather Channel confirmed that 26,000 customers were without power in Georgia. Trees and debris were littered all over the road. Single-family homes and mobile homes were destroyed. Several people were taken to hospitals and were in serious condition.

Late Sunday night, President Trump tweeted:

To the great people of Alabama and surrounding areas: Please be careful and safe. Tornadoes and storms were truly violent and more could be coming. To the families and friends of the victims, and to the injured, God bless you all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2019

Gregory Robinson, spokesperson of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency confirmed that no deaths had been reported outside Lee County. The damage was still being surveyed in several South-Western counties.