4 killed, multiple injured in U.S. southern storms

At least four people were killed and multiple injured as strong storms pounded the U.S. southern states Wednesday, media reported. Severe thunderstorms and tornados swept through parts of Alabama and Georgia Wednesday afternoon after raking Louisiana and Mississippi earlier in the day, according to the U.S. National Weather Service. Three people were dead and five were wounded and taken to hospitals in York County, South Carolina, when a storm swept through a rural area shortly after 6 p.m. local time, CNN quoted local authorities as saying. Forsyth County, Georgia, also reported a fatality, while Mississippi reported four noncritical injuries, according to the report. The severe weather also destroyed or damaged homes, downed trees and caused power outages to thousands of customers. U.S. Southeastern states have been hit by myriad of natural disasters so far this year, including hurricanes, tornados and severe floods, which resulted in many casualties as well as property damages.