2 killed in Dallas County as tornados, severe weather strike Alabama: ‘You wonder how anyone survived’
Two people were killed when a possible tornado touched down in a small Alabama community Saturday night.
Dallas County Coroner Alan Dailey said the storm wreaked havoc in the 9000 block of Country Road 63 in Plantersville, which is about 30 miles outside of Selma.
“It looked like it hit that one particular area,’’ Dailey said.
“When you look at some of these places, you wonder how anyone survived.”
Multiple law enforcement agencies and rescue services descended on the scene.
A man was killed inside his workshop where he and his wife were sheltering from the storm.
They chose to ride out the storm there because it was made of brick and steel girders, which they thought would be sturdier than their mobile home, Dailey said.
Shop where a man was killed during a storm in Plantersville, Alabama on March 15, 2025.Mike Cason
The man’s wife was miraculously not injured, he said.
A woman reported missing was found dead about 4 a.m., after hours of searches for her that included drones.
Dailey said she had been in a trailer when the apparent tornado hit.
The massive search for her was called off about midnight with plans to resume at daylight, but then volunteer searchers found her dead.
She was discovered three quarters of a mile from her trailer, which had been destroyed.
Dailey said two people were injured and taken to Vaughn Regional Medical Center in Selma.
As of 9 a.m. Sunday, Dailey said he’s spoken with the Plantersville fire chief and there were no other reports of anyone still missing.
There were two other injuries reported and multiple homes destroyed or severely damaged, according to Toya Stiles of the Dallas County Emergency Management Agency.
The cleanup from Saturday’s storm began this morning after power outages were reported statewide as tornados downed trees in several Alabama counties.
Widespread damage was also reported in Calera, Gordo, Maplesville, Sipsey and Troy.
Forecasters labeled the severe weather threat a Level 5 out of 5 risk and declared a PDS tornado watch. PDS stands for “particularly dangerous situation.”
Nationwide, the storm also produced dust storms and icy conditions that killed at least 33 people across the central and southern U.S.