Relentless wind and rain keeps pummelling much of the southeastern United States, spawning tornadoes, sparking a flash flood emergency in Alabama and damaging homes from Texas to Virginia. The storms have prompted boat rescues and toppled trees and power lines.
Crews were preparing to continue cleaning up debris and assessing destruction across the region early on Wednesday, as some schools cancelled classes or moved them online due to damage on campuses and surrounding areas.
The National Weather Service's prediction centre warned Wednesday morning that flash flooding could also now affect the Central Gulf Coast with storms shifting southeast and rain continuing to soak much of the region.
The storms have been responsible for at least three deaths and dozens of injuries this week, and more than 242,500 customers were without power from Texas to Maryland early Wednesday, including about 90,000 in Alabama, about 80,900 in Mississippi, about 28,800 in Georgia and about 25,700 in Virginia.