Tornadoes and Floods Ravage Southern States in U.S. on Chrismastime, Casualties Reach 18 With 56 Missing

It was a heartbreaking Christmas Eve for families across southern United States as an unusual outbreak of tornadoes and floods ravaged through their homes leaving 18 casualties in its wake, Retuers reported Saturday.

Deutche Welle wrote Saturday meteorologist explained that the "unseasonably warm weather" caused the storms across the United States. The extent of the damage spread from Alabama in the south up to Illinois in the north. The storms also affected several states in the area referred to locally as "tornado alley"  

The southern state of Mississippi is reportedly the hardest hit, with the number of confirmed deaths raised to 10 and 56 for injuries. Among the casualties in Mississippi was a seven-year-old boy.

The tornado devastated 403 homes in seven countries in Mississippi, Greg Flynn of the state's Emergency Management Agency told Reuters. The onslaught of floods closed 40 roads in Monroe County and left 50 homes uninhabitable.

The Emergency Management Agency is continuing its search for missing people.

Flynn said, "Until they know for sure where those folks are, they're going to keep looking, because we've had in some cases houses leveled, and they're just not there anymore."

Meanwhile three of the six casualties in Tennessee were found dead in a car submerged in a creek, the Columbia Police Department noted. One death has been reported each in the state of Arkansas and Alabama.

Mississippi and Georgia have declared a state of emergency in counties affected by severe weather conditions.

Meteorologist Evan Duffey of AccuWeather warned that rains will continue to sweep through Alabama and Mississippi on Monday night.

"It's going to be a pretty active weekend as far as winter weather," Duffey said. "It looks like it's going to be pretty bad across the southwest into the southern plains."

Meanwhile, people in Linden Tennessee continue to spread the spirit of Christmas despite this trying time.

Resident Christ Shupiery, while wearing a Santa hat, helped clean out debris after the storm passed on Thursday.

"This was just the right thing to do, come help a family in need,'' Shupiery said. "Suit up, try to cheer people up and try to make them feel a little better with Christmas coming around.''