GEORGIA, Jan. 22 (UPI) — At least 11 people were killed and more than 20 injured from severe storms in central and south Georgia early Sunday morning, authorities said.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency Sunday for seven South Georgia counties: Atkinson, Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Lowndes and Thomas. The declaration will remain in effect for the next seven days, the governor said.
“These storms have devastated communities and homes in South Central Georgia, and the state is making all resources available to the impacted areas,” Deal said in a statement.
Catherine Howden, spokeswoman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, told USA Today that it was not immediately clear whether tornadoes had touched down in the region.
Seven of the deaths were confirmed in Cook County, when an apparent tornado hit a mobile home park near Adel. About half of the 40 mobile homes in the park were destroyed in the storm, Coroner Tim Purvis said.
Two more people died in neighboring Brooks County, when a mobile home was tossed about 100 yards into the middle of a highway by a tornado, authorities said.
Storms swept through Mississippi on Saturday, killing at least three.
The National Weather Service forecast a possible “major severe weather outbreak” across north Florida and south Georgia into Sunday night.
