At least six people were killed after a series of severe thunderstorms spawned nearly two dozen tornadoes across Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.
Officials said that five people were killed in Alabama, including three people from the same family. One person was reported dead in Coweta County, Georgia, where a tornado caused "catastrophic" damage that ripped roofs off homes, knocked down trees and powerlines, and left debris strewn across the roads.
One of the last tornadoes from the storms caused extensive damage to the town of Newnan, Georgia, just after midnight. Drone video recorded after the storm showed the devastation the tornado caused.
"This stuff is unbelievable. I kind of think about this kind of stuff when you look out in the Midwest, Oklahoma. I think you're going to see that same kind of damage here," Coweta County Fire Chief Pat Wilson told CNN.
The tornado caused major damage to the city's high school and decimated entire neighborhoods.
"Everything is completely gone. The roofs on every building are gone. The walls of our classrooms are gone," a student told WSB about the damage.
Newnan Utilities general manager Dennis McEntire said that it will "take several days" to restore the power and clear debris from the roads.
Alabama took the brunt of the storm, with 17 confirmed tornadoes touching down across the state. One tornado was on the ground for nearly 100 miles, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown confirmed that five people were killed by the storms. He said that three family members were killed inside their home, one man was killed in a mobile home and, a woman was killed inside her mobile home.
Residents will get a reprieve from the severe weather on Friday (March 26), but another storm could bring heavy rain, high winds, damaging hail, and the potential for more tornadoes over the weekend.
You can get the latest updates about the storms on iHeartRadio station WGST.
Photo: Terrence Bibb