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A natural disaster in the U.S. state of Alabama headlines our show today. Lee County which in the eastern part of the state, was struck by tornadoes on Sunday afternoon. Just before 3 o'clock eastern time, the area received its first tornado warning, an official alert that means a tornado has been seen or identified by radar.
The first report of damage in Lee County came just five minutes later indicating that people there had barely any time at all to take shelter.
There was a second tornado warning about half an hour later and more reports of damage 13 minutes after that. The National Weather Service says in all at least 12 tornadoes touched down in Alabama and Georgia on Sunday. Lee County, Alabama's Sheriff Jay Jones called the destruction catastrophic.
SHERIFF JAY JONES, LEE COUNTY, ALABAMA: Houses completely destroyed. Homes that basically just slabs left where once stood a home. Massive damage. Some of the specific areas, the contents of Warren residents, we know for a fact was located over 1,000 yards away.
CARL AZUZ: At least 23 people were killed. It was Alabama's deadliest day for tornadoes since 2011. Dozens of homes were lost. Businesses were damaged. Parts of a school were hit. A shelter was set up on Sunday at a local Baptist church and dozens of people took advantage of it.
Across the state border in Talbot County, Georgia emergency officials say at least 15 structures were destroyed, including an apartment building and some homes. The pastor of a church there says it hit so quickly that people couldn't have planned for it.
States of emergency were declared in Alabama and Georgia to speed up money and assistance to those who need it. Private donations and offers to help were also coming in from all around the effected areas.
