Dozens of Tornadoes in South kill 215in

Pleasant Grove, Ala. (AP)-dozens of Tornadoes ripped through southern, transparency of homes and businesses and killed at least 215 people in six States in the deadly outbreak in nearly 40 years. As day broke Thursday, people in the affected Alabama interviewed garbage strewn neighborhoods flattened, and talked about pulling bodies from the rubble after the storm passed Wednesday afternoon and evening. , Butch dill, PS

People looking for what is left of his home Thursday after a tornado Wednesday in pleasant Grove, West of the city of Birmingham, Ala.

From Butch dill, PS

People looking for what is left of his home Thursday after a tornado Wednesday in pleasant Grove, West of the city of Birmingham, Ala.

"It happened so fast, it was unbelievable," said Gerry Stewart, 63-year-old former fireman who was collecting through the remains of his son demolished homes in pleasant Grove, a suburb of Birmingham. "They said that storm in Tuscaloosa and it'll be here in 15 minutes. And before I knew it, it was here he and his wife, along with their daughter and two grandchildren, survived by hiding under their front porch. Friends down the street who have done the same not so fortunate, Stewart said he pulled out the bodies of two neighbours, whose house was ripped off its foundation in the State of Alabama. emergency management agency said it confirmed 131 people, while 32 in Mississippi30in, Tennessee, 13 in Georgia, eight in Virginia and one in the center of the storm forecasting unit Kentucky is suitable The national weather service in Norman, Okla., said he had received reports of Tornadoes in 137 Wednesday night some of the worst damage was in Tuscaloosa, a town more than 83 000 is home to the University of Alabama. Neighborhoods were leveled on a massive Tornado caught on video camera mounted Tower News, barreled through Wednesday evening. "When I looked back, I just saw trees and stuff coming, "said Mike Whitt, a resident at DCH regional medical center, who ran out of the hospital's parking deck when the wind started swirling and he heard the roar of Thursday morning, he walked through a neighborhood next to the House for students and townspeoplelooking at scores of houses without roofs of hospitals. Household items were scattered on the ground drum, sneakers, isolation, towels and a bottle of shampoo. The streets were impassable, asphalt strewn with trees, houses and cars with blown out Dr. David Hinson windows works in a hospital, where a tornado. He and his wife had to walk several blocks to get their house which was destroyed. A few houses down, he helped pull three students from the ruins. One was dead, and two were seriously injured. He and others used as makeshift stretchers pieces of garbage performing them in the ambulance. "He said we just did the best we could get them and get them to stabilize and get them to help ". "I don't know what happened to them." University officials said there was no significant damage on campus, and dozens of students and local residents were in the 125-bed shelter in the center of campus recreation. Storm system spread devastation from Texas, New York, where dozens of roads were flooded or washed out. Governors of Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia emergency declarations for parts of their States. Dave Imy, meteorologist with the forecasting service, said the death of most Tornado outbreaks in killed 315 people in 1974 .in, Alabama, where one million people were without power, gov. Robert Bentley said 2000 was activated National Guard troops to help the affected areas to search for peoplethat is still missing. He said the National Weather Service forecast and warning people did a good job, but there's only so much you can do to fight a powerful Tornado a mile wide. President Barack Obama said he spoke with Bentley and endorsed his request for emergency assistance in federal. "our hearts for all those who have suffered from the destructionand we pay tribute to the heroic efforts of those who worked tirelessly to respond to this disaster, "Obama said in a statement. Storm came on the heels of another 10 people were killed in Arkansas and one in Mississippi earlier this week. Less than two weeks ago, small quantities of Tornado raced through Alabama, referring to the sirens, causing damage to businesses and the destruction of power lines in Tuscaloosa, but then there was the death of Kemper County., Miss., in East-Central part of the State's sister Florrie Greene and their daughter-in-law Maxine Mcdonald and Johnny Greenall died in a mobile home that was destroyed by a storm. "They were thrown in the pines, "Mary Greene, Johnny green sister-in-law said, pointing out in the wooded area. "They had to go looking for their bodies."And in the pleasant Grove, Samantha nail damage production units, where she was the only House remains intact. The storm slammed heavy pickups in ditches and neat brick houses were destroyed, leaving a mess of mattresses, electronics and toys scattered across grassy plain, where dozens of used to live. "we were in the bathroom, holding onto each other and the way of life," says nail. "If it wasn't for our concrete walls, our House will be gone as the rest of them."//

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