Weather: Tornado, Winds, Kill at Least 17 in Southern States

April 16, 2011— -- Powerful storms snapped power lines, uprooted trees and smashed cars across the south this week. Seven deaths were reported in Alabama Saturday, raising the storm's total death toll to at least seventeen.

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency for the state on Friday.

"This is a serious storm that has already caused significant damage across the South. I hope Alabamians take extreme caution while these storms move through," said Governor Bentley. "When this weather system is no longer a threat, we are prepared to assist our citizens and communities that have been severely affected."

In Boone's Chapel, Ala., three adult family members were killed on Friday night when a tornado ripped through homes in the community.

"The tornado hit and jumped and hit and jumped again," said Autauga County Chief Deputy Sheriff Joe Sedinger to The Associated Press. "It would do some damage and then move on."

Since Thursday there have been reports of 116 tornadoes across 8 states, and four separate tornadoes hit west-central Alabama in less than 6 hours, according to emergency management director Kevin McKinney.

The deadly line of storms ripped through the south starting on Thursday in Oklahoma, where five tornados were reported, before moving to Arkansas.

In Arkansas, the death toll increased to seven after Little Rock police spokesman Terry Hastings said a mother and her 8-year-old son were killed overnight by a tree that fell on their home.

A boy, 6, in Bald Knob, Ark., was killed when a tree fell on his home. In Garland County, a 24-year-old man and his 18-month-old daughter were killed after a tree struck by lightning fell on their mobile home.

"I didn't think it would happen to a friend of mine," said Kasey Neal, who lived nearby, "but now we're standing here talking about the loss of a friend and their little girl that they'll never get back."