/ Source: msnbc.com news services
Dozens of tornadoes spawned by a powerful storm system wiped out entire towns across a wide swath of the U.S., killing nearly 300 people in the deadliest outbreak in nearly 40 years.
Here's a state-by-state glance at the impact:
Alabama
- At least 210 have died people across the state, which suffered "massive destruction of property," Gov. Robert Bentley said.
- As of 4 p.m. ET Thursday, Alabama Power said 316,679 residents were without power, although the governor estimates that up to a million residents could be without power statewide.
- 2,000 national guard troops have been and were helping to search devastated areas for the missing.
- President Barack Obama — who will travel to Alabama on Friday — has spoken with Bentley and approved his request for emergency federal assistance.
- Some of the worst devastation occurred in Tuscaloosa, home to the University of Alabama, killing at least 36 people including some students.
66 of 137 tornado reports the NWS Storm Prediction Center received on Wednesday came from Alabama.
A Tennessee Valley Authority nuclear power plant in Alabama that lost power after the storms will be down for days and possibly weeks, but the agency said backup power systems worked as designed to prevent a partial meltdown like the disaster in Japan.
Mississippi
- At least 33 have been confirmed dead, and 120 injured, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
- Damage has been reported in 50 counties,
Georgia
- NBC News reports 15 deaths across the state.
- According to
- Gov. Nathan Deal has
Tennessee
- According to NBC News, 34 people have died due to the storms.
- Bill McCollum, chief operating officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority, tells
Virginia
- Eight deaths were initially reported but that was later lowered to five.
Kentucky
- One death reported.