Prayers Up: Severe Tornado Outbreak Causes Significant Damage to Selma, AL

Severe storms in the south sparked a tornado outbreak, with Selma, Alabama being one of the hardest hit areas in the state.

According to WSFA-12 Alabama, extensive damage was seen across businesses and building across the city’s Broad street. A tornado hit the downtown area ranging with the strength of an EF2 or EF3, tossing debris up to 16,000 feet in the area.

Selma is now considered a disaster area as roads are blocked and multiple people are injured. Search and rescue efforts began Friday (Jan. 13) morning, but no deaths have been reported.

The damage of the tornado outbreak stretched across the state of Alabama, as the Dallas County Jail was also among the impacted areas. Inmates are now being relocated. A curfew is currently in place in Selma between dusk and dawn.

“As I was closing the bathroom door, I saw the windows blow out,” Selma business owner Mel Gilmer said. “Five seconds later, I look up in the bathroom and I see sky.”

Images from the scenes in Selma are available below.