DISASTERS

11 people killed in Georgia following severe weather

Associated Press
Published | Updated

A Brooks County Sheriff and officials block Highway 122 as power line workers repair a downed pole in the background Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017, near Barney, Ga. The National Weather Service said Sunday that southern Georgia, northern Florida and the corner of southeastern Alabama could face "intense and long track" tornadoes, scattered damaging winds and large hail. (AP Photo/Phil Sears) (The Associated Press)

Map locates counties in southern Georgia where an early Sunday storm has hit causing deaths and injuries.; 2c x 3 1/2 inches; 96.3 mm x 88 mm; (The Associated Press)

Storm damage is seen at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Cecil, Ga., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2017. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency in seven counties that have suffered deaths, injuries and severe damage from weekend storms. (AP Photo/Brendan Farrington) (The Associated Press)

A powerful tornado ripped through a mobile home park in south Georgia early Sunday, destroying half of its structures and killing seven people. Another four people died across the region amid severe weather.

Catherine Howden of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency said the deaths occurred in Cook, Brooks and Berrien counties in southern Georgia near the Georgia-Florida line. Another 23 people were injured.

She said the deaths were related to severe weather but could not specify whether tornadoes were the cause. Tornado warnings had been issued for parts of Georgia overnight.

Cook County Coroner Tim Purvis said an apparent tornado "leveled" numerous mobile homes before dawn Sunday in the park near Adel. He said emergency responders were still searching for survivors hours later.

Purvis estimated the park has about 40 mobile homes total and roughly half of them were destroyed.

The southeastern United States has been pounded by storms, high winds and unstable weather over the weekend. Four people died after a tornado with winds above 136 mph tore a 25-mile path across southern Mississippi before dawn Saturday.

The National Weather Service in Jacksonville, Florida, has issued a tornado warning for Echols, Clinch and Ware counties in southeastern Georgia. A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for the Florida panhandle.