Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By J.R. TIDWELL / Editor

A severe weather system left its mark across much of the southern United States April 12, as strong winds, heavy rains and tornadoes left a trail of destruction from Arkansas to South Carolina.

While Alabama was left with flooding in areas, many downed trees and power outages for thousands of residents, as of the morning of April 13 no deaths had been reported in the state, though the death toll across the South numbered more than 20.

According to Alabama Power, 160 residents in Chilton County remained without power as of 8 a.m. April 13. The company had crews out around the state attempting to restore power to many, with the peak number of outages reported at around 132,000 due to the storms.

Following the severe weather outbreak, Alabama Power crews are safely and efficiently restoring service to customers,” the company said in a tweet.

As of 8 a.m., the company reported the following outages across the state:

• Montgomery County – 20,700 customers
• Lee County – 5,700 customers
• Elmore County – 2,100 customers
• Lowndes County – 1,500 customers
• Tallapoosa County – 1,400 customers
• Autauga County – 800 customers
• Wilcox County – 700 customers
• Dallas County – 540 customers
• Perry County – 240 customers
• Butler County – 200 customers
• Bullock County – 170 customers
• Chilton County – 150 customers

By 10 a.m., that number had been pared down to the following:

• Jefferson – 17,000
• Montgomery – 16,000
• Blount – 7,500
• Walker – 6,300
• Tuscaloosa – 5,700
• Lee – 4,800
• Etowah – 2,300

Gov. Kay Ivey issued a state of emergency ahead of the storm system and eased COVID-19 social distancing rules temporarily so that residents could congregate in storm shelters where needed.