A tornado hit Birmingham, Ala., on Friday, causing damage over about a two square mile area as the wave of severe weather that hit the South over the week of Christmas continued.
A witness spotted the tornado outside the city around 5 p.m. local time Friday, and the National Weather Service confirmed an hour later that first responders were working on Jefferson Avenue, about 10 miles from Birmingham, the Associated Press reported.
Take a look at this wreckage from the tornado that ripped through bessemer, prayers up. #birmingham pic.twitter.com/rMxN2QOerH— Stephon Dingle WIAT (@Stephon_Dingle) December 26, 2015
Mayor William A. Bell Sr. said that about six houses were damaged, with two being "completely demolished." A police spokesman said he knew of no fatalities.
Bell said that "torrential rain" was still coming down and authorities were prepared to deploy rescue boats if needed.
The tornado hit after Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency due to the flooding and heavy rain in the state.
The town of Cullman was reported to have some of the heaviest flooding. Residents shared images of the rushing water on social media. In this video, a car is overturned by water rushing from Smith Lake:
A front yard in Cullman by Smith Lake earlier today @spann pic.twitter.com/B7vySNJWIp— Hayley Kilgo (@HayleyKilgo) December 26, 2015
Other videos showed bridges and guardrails being flooded:
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Flash flood warnings and flood warnings were in place for areas near Birmingham until 10:15 a.m. CST Saturday.
The severe weather in Alabama was part of a larger system that has hit the South over the long holiday weekend. Record warm weather Wednesday helped create the conditions for rain and tornadoes in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Arkansas.
Mississippi confirmed the state's eighth death, pushing the death toll to 18 -- across multiple states, including Tennessee and Arkansas. Dozens of families have been left homeless, and search efforts have been hampered with so many people away for the holidays.
The Associated Press and Storyful contributed to this report.