Storms In Alabama Cause Damage, Leave One Woman Dead

A lingering cold front brought severe thunderstorms and possible tornadoes Sunday across the Southeast, killing one woman, knocking out power to about 6,000 customers in Alabama and causing some property damage.

A 46-year-old Laurel, Miss., woman was struck and killed by a tree that fell on her while she was standing outside her home, said Jones County Coroner Nancy Barnett. Another Jones County resident was injured, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.

In Georgia, a line of storms and possible tornado threatened the northern part of the state, a day after strong winds downed some trees and destroyed cars in parts of Atlanta.

The storms dropped heavy rains and prompted flash flood warnings in Mississippi and Louisiana, but there were no reports of major damage. At least five homes in Mantachie, Miss., were damaged by high winds that ripped through Saturday. The weather service said the damage could have been caused by straight-line winds or a tornado.

Most of the damage appears to be trees and power lines knocked down.  Alabama Power reports about 5,400 hundred customers without power in Jefferson and Shelby Counties; about 6,900 in the counties east of Jefferson, about 10,000 in Tuscaloosa and nearby counties.  The largest number of customers without power is across the area from Opelika-Auburn, all the way to Selma and the surrounding area.  There are about 10,000 customers without power in that area.