«As if a giant knife had scratched the earth»: a destructive tornado in the U.S. killed 23 people, and 7 were missing

Sunday, March 3, at Southeast Alabama swept a string of the most powerful tornado, with a speed of 170 mph (273,5 km per hour), razed with the ground hundreds of homes and killing 23 people, including three children.

Rescue teams using dogs and drones, looking for victims among the pieces of metal and rubble after the deadliest tornado in the United States for six years. According to the latest data, 7 people were missing. More than 70 victims being treated at nearby hospitals.

«We hope the number of missing to decrease,» — said Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones, adding: «It looks like someone just took a giant knife and scratched the earth.»

More surreal scenery from #LeeCounty, #Alabama….a deadly EF-4 #tornado tore through the area on Sunday. #ALwx pic.twitter.com/0hgysJ2XPD

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) November 5, 2019

According to Lee County coroner bill Harris, the age of the victims of the tornado varies from 6 to 93 years, among them are seven members of one family. All 23 victims had been identified, their relatives were already notified, and the body was delivered to the relevant funeral home, said Harris. The message on the page of Lee-Scott Academy in Facebook said that among those killed was a fourth-grader Taylor Thornton.

«We have lost children, mothers, fathers, neighbors and friends,» said the Governor of Alabama Kay Ivey.

Carol Dean, which was found in the wreckage of his home, wedding gown, told CNN about the death of her husband David. When a tornado struck the area she was working in another city. Carol had warned her husband about the impending disaster. But when she was unable to contact him by phone, I immediately rushed home.

«Our son found him, said Dean journalists. My life is gone. He was the reason I lived the reason I get up in the morning.»

Photos from a destroyed home in Lee County, AL. The viewer says her in-laws survived the hit «because of putting a pot on their heads right before the ceiling came down on them.»

📸: Amanda Molinari.#alwx @wtvmweather @wtvm @spann @NWSBirmingham pic.twitter.com/XnvuWgS9L9

— Lauren Linahan (@LaurenWTVM) March 4, 2019

According to meteorologist Chris Darden, a path width of the tornado was almost a mile (1.6 km) and the length is 24 miles (38 km). According to An improved scale, this tornado belongs to the category EF-4, that is was accompanied by winds at a speed of 267-322 km/h, tearing roofs off houses and broke part of the vertical walls, rip-off from the ground and overturned cars and other large objects. Two more weak tornadoes of EF-1 passed the same day in Alabama, one in Lee and Macon counties, and another in the County of Barbour.

«This is the worst disaster that has ever occurred in Lee County, told WSFA the head of the district administration in emergency situation (EMA) Catherine Carson. — Most of us can’t remember such a large number of victims and injuries».

As reported by Darden, tornado this year was the deadliest since may 2013, when a catastrophic tornado power EF-5 swept through Moore (OK), and killed 24 people.

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