Part of the country was hit by severe weather on Sunday, with
tornadoes in the South injuring almost 30 people and bringing freezing rain,
snow and flooding in the Midwest.
In Prattville, outside Montgomery, almost 200
homes were devastated by a tornado. According to Mayor Jim Byard, the rescue
teams were searching for people trapped in the ruins.
Fire Department official Dallis Johnson said that there were
two people who were critically wounded, but no other casualties.
Twenty-seven people suffered from minor injuries.
Johnson said: "It's very possible we may have more
injuries," the Associated Press reports.
He added that the people who were trapped inside were
rescued.
Because of the storm the utility poles collapsed while the debris
covered the area, northwest of Montgomery
about 5 miles off Interstate 65.
In the churches shelters were opened while the school buses
took the victims to the city center.
Storms hit the South leaving at least 9,000 homes businesses
in Prattville without power and damaging homes
in Alabama and
in the Florida Panhandle.
According to county spokeswoman Sonya Daniel, 60 homes were destroyed
by a tornado in Escambia County,
Fla.
The Weather Service said that two houses located in rural
Dixie, across the border in Escambia
County, Ala. were also
destroyed by a tornado.
Other structures were suffered damages in Covington County, Ala.,
according to Jeremie Shaffer, assistant director of the county emergency
management agency.
As the storm system made its way through Georgia, the National Weather Service
announced that there are conditions for tornadoes and winds of 70 mph.
The southern two-thirds of Wisconsin were covered by freezing rain and
snow.
A blizzard warning and a flood warning was issued by the National
Weather Service for much of Iowa and Wisconsin.
Because of the numerous crashes that were reported, the
authorities advised people to stay off the roads.
According to authorities, Kansas City International
Airport was closed for
six hours due to heavy snow.