A severe weather outbreak over the weekend resulted in at least four fatalities as tornadoes swept across the southern United States. The storms produced approximately 44 tornadoes across seven states, with significant damage reported in Texas and Mississippi.
In Texas, a tornado claimed one life in Brazoria County, south of Houston. The victim, a 48-year-old woman, was found about 100 feet from her home in the Liverpool area. The storm also caused injuries to four other individuals and damaged at least 40 homes and buildings in the county. In Montgomery County, north of Houston, about 30 homes were destroyed, and 50 others sustained major damage, according to county official Jason Smith.
Mississippi reported two fatalities, one in Natchez and another in Lowndes County. An 18-year-old woman died when a tree fell on her home in Natchez, and several others were injured across the state. The National Weather Service confirmed tornadoes around Bude and Brandon, which caused significant damage, including ripping roofs off buildings.
Further north, in North Carolina, a 70-year-old man died in Iredell County when a tree fell on his vehicle along Highway 152. The storm also caused numerous downed trees and traffic accidents in the area.
The severe weather, which occurred during a busy holiday travel period, led to treacherous road conditions and flight delays, particularly at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As of Sunday afternoon, over 40,000 people were without power in Mississippi, with additional outages reported in Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, and Georgia.
Meteorologists noted that while severe weather is not unheard of in December, an outbreak of this magnitude is relatively uncommon. The storms prompted a Particularly Dangerous Situation Tornado Watch for parts of east Texas, southeast Arkansas, Louisiana, and western Mississippi.
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