17 killed a a string of storms and tornadoes that ripped across the south

A band of fast-moving storms brought reports of more than one hundred possible tornadoes across the South on Saturday, toppling trees, snapping power lines and bringing the two-day death toll to 17.

Emergency crews in Georgia, Mississippi and Alabama worked to assess the damage as the storm system moved north into the Carolinas and southern Virginia, according to the National Weather Service.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency Friday after reports of tornado touchdowns in at least six counties.

Three people were also killed in Autauga County after fallen trees crashed into mobile homes in the area, police said.

Some of the death toll reads as follows:

Three deaths in Washington County were reported, said Yasamie August, spokeswoman for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.

Two other deaths were previously reported in Oklahoma and seven in Arkansas.

In Greene County, Mississippi, one death and six injuries were reported, officials said.

And if that wasn’t bad enough…

Rescue crews found a 34-year-old woman in bed with her 7-year-old, whom she had apparently come to comfort during the overnight storm, said Little Rock Fire Department Capt. Randy Davenport.

The two were killed when a giant oak tree fell on the home, Davenport said.

An 18-month-old child in another bedroom survived.

Source