Video from CNV subsidiary WVTM shows that the Hampton Inn in Fultondale, located north of Birmingham and with a population of about 9,000, according to census data, suffered significant damage during the storm. The affiliate reported that guests staying at the hotel were able to escape the building and seek refuge in a nearby restaurant when another storm line passed.
He told NWS Birmingham in a tweet who are monitoring reports “after a tornado hit the Jefferson Co. Fultondale area recently.”
“Significant damage has been reported. We will inspect the damage to determine the strength of the tornado,” NWS Birmingham said.
Earlier, the agency said on Twitter: “At 22:54 PM CST, a large and extremely dangerous tornado was located over Chalkville or near Trussville, moving east at 50 mph.”
About 13 miles northeast of Birmingham, the town of Center Point, which has more than 16,000 residents, also saw “quite a bit of damage” from the storm, Mayor Bobby Scott told CNN’s WBRC affiliate.
Scott said the back half of the roof of Hilldale Baptist Church is missing and the city’s recreation center was also damaged during the storm.
“It looks like we’ll have a long day ahead of us tomorrow,” Scott said. “Hopefully we can cover it all up.”
“Right now we have no injuries to report, so we are definitely grateful,” the mayor added.
The Jackson County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has it he asked people to stay out of the area while first aiders try to reach the most damaged places.
“In addition to the road, there are dangers such as power lines and waste … traffic is obstructing the roads” the agency has tweeted.
A tornado warning was issued Monday night for Jefferson County, Alabama. He told NWS Birmingham in a tweet. Since then, the agency has issued warnings and warnings about tornadoes for several counties as the storm line moves northeast through the state.
A tornado clock remains in effect in parts of Alabama and Georgia
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.