Tornadoes leave at least 9 dead and a trail of destruction in Alabama and Georgia

When a tornado that was sparked by a powerful storm tore through an Alabama auto shop and killed two of his neighbors, the mechanic sought refuge in a dumpster. The tornado had been spawned by the storm that had been wreaking havoc in Georgia and Alabama. Residents are sifting through the debris left by the tornadoes and gales, which are to blame for at least nine deaths, as they try to learn the sad stories of David Hollon and other storm survivors. The storm on Thursday is blamed for the deaths of at least nine people.

Hollon and his employees witnessed a powerful tornado moving toward them as it passed through rural Autauga County in Alabama, where at least seven people have died. They had to go find someplace to hide right away.

Hollon noted that they all sprinted toward a metal container that was fastened to the ground. Once inside, Hollon hurriedly started making phone calls to a neighbor.

The call, however, kept going to voicemail as soon as they heard the storm destroy the garage. He claimed that when the storm subsided and everyone emerged from the container, they discovered his neighbor's body lying in the street.

An acquaintance who lived further down the street had also passed away, according to a family member. "I believe he did significantly better for us than most.

We had damage, but we're still here, 52-year-old Hollon said in an interview Saturday as he made his way through the wreckage of his garage before continuing down a road that was covered in wrecked cars, broken glass, shattered tree limbs, scrap wood, and other debris. A 54-year-old Autauga County resident and cafeteria worker named Leighea Johnson stood amidst the dispersed pieces of her mobile home.

He indicated a pile of debris that he claimed to be his bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. She was now across the street, between some trees, on a swing from her backyard.

She owned an outdoor bounce house that she lost when it crashed into several trees in the front yard of a neighbor. Johnson pointed to a slab covered in debris and said, "The trailer should be here, and it's gone.".

"That is how things are now everywhere. The storm uprooted trees, destroyed mobile homes, derailed a freight train, turned over cars, fractured utility poles, and downed power lines, rendering thousands of people without electricity. The storm also caused strong tornadoes and gales in Georgia and Alabama.

The National Weather Service reported that at least 14 counties in Alabama and 14 counties in Georgia reported damage that was likely brought on by tornadoes. Officials from Autauga County reported that the tornado had winds of at least 136 mph (218 km/h) and that its damage was consistent with that of an EF3 tornado, which is two categories below the strongest.

According to county officials, at least a dozen people were taken to the hospital, and about 40 homes, including mobile homes that were blown away, were completely destroyed or severely damaged. As the storm moved toward them, residents described frantic scenes.

When the gales arrived, people sprinted for shelters like bathtubs and sheds. In one instance, a search team discovered five people trapped but unharmed inside a storm shelter after a wall from a nearby house collapsed.

Before the worst of the storm moved across Georgia and toward Atlanta in the south, downtown Selma suffered significant damage. There were no reported fatalities in Selma.

Residents are sifting through the debris left by the tornadoes and gales, which are to blame for at least nine deaths, as they try to learn the sad stories of David Hollon and other storm survivors.