At least 22 people are dead from tornadoes in eastern Alabama. Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones says he expects that number to go up as the search for missing people continues. At least two tornadoes hit Lee County Sunday afternoon.
The hardest hit areas were the communities of Beauregard and Smiths Station, which are about 55 miles east of Montgomery.
The Lee County Coroner says some of the victims were children. Authorities expect the death toll to rise since there are still a number of people who aren't accounted for.
East Alabama Medical Center says it has received over 40 patients from this afternoon's deadly storms. The influx of patients is so bad that the hospital is scrapping all elective procedures for Monday.
The National Weather Service says the damage from Sunday's tornadoes in eastern Alabama indicates that there was a tornado of at least EF-3 in strength. Tornadoes that strong can pack winds of up to 165 miles an hour and cause severe damage. On Monday, National Weather Service teams will be out in Lee County and other areas hit by the deadly twisters to assess the damage.