Birmingham, AL – Strong storms that knocked down trees and power lines overnight left thousands of people without power across north Alabama.
Alabama Power Co. said about 158,000 customers were in the dark Monday morning because of damage that occurred from west Alabama through the Birmingham area. Winds gusted to more than 50 mph in some areas, causing widespread damage.
In north Alabama, the Guntersville and Scottsboro school systems closed because of storm damage and thousands of power outages. Another 12,000 customers were without electricity in Huntsville.
Severe weather also struck southeast Alabama, where damage from an apparent tornado damaged several rural structures. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)