Harrowing videos show ‘extremely dangerous’ tornado in Alabama

Videos of tornadoes in Alabama, which weather experts had described as “extremely dangerous,” circulated on social media Thursday afternoon.

Alabama was rocked by tornadoes, creating severe storms, causing injuries and leaving heavy destruction in their wake. As many as 15 injuries were reported in the state’s northern Morgan County by morning, according to CNN.

A tornado hit Dallas and Autauga counties Thursday afternoon Montgomery Advertiser, leaving several people injured and one dead. Alabama saw more than a dozen tornado reports, and other states in the Southeast called damage from severe storms.

The National Weather Service (NWS) Birmingham tweeted Thursday afternoon to warn people to take cover.

“A large and extremely dangerous tornado is moving through Selma,” NWS Birmingham wrote in part. “PLEASE TAKE DIFFERENCE NOW IF THIS IS WARNING!!!! Sturdy shelter, center of most rooms, lowest floor. This is extremely dangerous and serious!!!”

NWS Birmingham’s website listed quarter-size threats including tornadoes, damaging winds and hail. Severe storms remain likely in certain parts of the state through 6 p.m

Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr.’s office wrote in a Facebook post that the tornado caused “significant damage” to the city. Citizens were asked to refrain from driving on the road and avoiding power lines.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey tweeted a warning to voters to stay “weather aware.”

This is the same storm cell that moved through Selma, AL, damaging the town. It remains tornado-aware because it runs north of Montgomery and parallels I-85. pic.twitter.com/XpLLmKJV6s

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) January 12, 2023

WeatherNation tweeted video from the city of Prattville showing a giant storm cell crawling across the sky.

“This is the same storm cell that moved through Selma, AL and damaged the city,” WeatherNation said wrote. “It remains tornado-aware because it parallels I-85 just north of Montgomery.”

Meteorologist James Spann posted several videos of the day’s weather events on his Twitter page, including one showing the Selma tornado as it threw debris.

Spann also posted video of menacing storm clouds looming over Lake Jordan.

Video from the storm was caught on Interstate 65 around the town of Verbena. The footage, captured by the driver of a vehicle that had stopped at the shoulder of the freeway, had garnered more than 19,600 views by the time of publication.

Another Twitter user posted a video of a woman saying she sought shelter from the tornado at an IRS. She is heard saying that it “happened so quickly” and remarks that she was “blessed”.

The woman, who sounded shocked, documented the damage to her vehicle.

“Lord, we could have been gone, all of you,” she said in part. “We had to take cover. We had to run and jump in the closet.”