7 Dead as Tornadoes Rip Through South, Governors Declare State of Emergency

A vehicle is upended and debris is strewn about follow a tornado that hit Selma, Ala., on Jan. 12, 2023. Butch Dill/ AP Photo

At least six people have died in central Alabama, and a seventh person was killed in Georgia after a powerful storm and tornadoes ripped through the South on Thursday.

A tornado claimed the lives of six people in Autauga County, Ala., 41 miles (66 kilometers) northeast of Selma, while around 40 homes were damaged or destroyed by a tornado, Ernie Baggett, the county’s emergency management director, confirmed to Weather.com.