STRUCK DOWN
Massive 205mph tornadoes rip through Deep South killing at least 20 as Alabama church struck by lightning
AN Alabama church was struck by lightning on Easter Sunday as tornadoes ripped through the Deep South, killing at least 20.
Homes were destroyed, runways ripped up and power lines downed as 205mph winds and wild weather tore through several states.
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At least seven have been killed in Mississippi and multiple others are missing, according to officials.
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center had earlier warned there would be a "violent tornado" in southern Mississippi.
The NWS warned of "potential peak winds of 170 to 205 mph."
Missippi's Emergency Management Agency earlier in the day warned people to "have a safe place to go" as severe weather was expected.
"If you go to a public shelter please wear a mask, bandana, or scarf around your nose and mouth," the agency said, warning people to take precautions against COVID-19.
"Practice social distancing. We will get through this!"
Craig Ceecee, a meteorologist at Mississippi State, shared a video on social media of people taking shelter in Starkville.
People huddled in groups, wearing masks and trying to keep distance from one another amid the pandemic as they took shelter from the tornado.
More than 22,000 people were out power in , Louisiana and Texas due to the stormy weather, according to the .
Pictures showed Shoal Creek Baptist Church was on fire, after lightning struck the Princeville, Alabama building's steeple, reported.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire and luckily, no injuries were reported, WAFF reported.
Maps from show the storms are going to continue in the Deep South until Monday.
A picture shared by showed a tornado on the ground at Yazoo County airport in .
All flights out of Monroe Regional Airport in Louisiana are canceled indefinitely, after severe winds tossed around debris and left planes buried.
Pictures shared by the City of Monroe on social media show planes at the airport buried under piles of debris.
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One plane had its tail pushed into the ground and was half-buried under a building, with its nose pointed into the air at a 45-degree angle.
Buildings were torn apart because of severe winds or tornadoes, the City of Monroe said.
Another picture showed the sides of an office building at the airport were torn apart, looking as if they'd been clawed.
Insulation and the interior of the building were exposed as the siding was almost completely torn off the outside wall.
Jamie Mayo, the Mayor of Monroe, and Ron Phillips, the airport's Regional Director, announced in a : “all flights at the Monroe Regional Airport are cancelled until further notice.”
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Travel has already been slowed due to the pandemic, with some airlines announcing domestic flights alone have been reduced substantially – and many airlines have all but halted international flights.
Delta Airlines, one of the companies that has flights to and from Monroe Regional Airport, reduced the number of flights in April by 80 percent, according to a from CEO Ed Bastian.
The airport in Monroe was not the only area damaged by the severe weather.
Another video shared by showed flash flooding near an apartment in the town of Como.
As workers stepped off a truck, they were standing nearly knee-high in flooded streets.
Video shared by one user from Monroe showed houses completely destroyed by the tornado.
Roofs were ripped off buildings, and debris lay thrown around homes, which were completely gutted by the tornado.
The user said in another that luckily, from the homes that were destroyed "the families survived."
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Weather conditions remained poor, and officials worked to clean debris from the runways so flights could begin operating again.
Pictures shared by the city showed power lines and trees near St. Mary Baptist Church in Monroe, Louisiana were down, as other large pieces of wood were strewn about, crushing fences.
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