Deadly Storms Kill Multiple Across Southern US, Leave Hundreds Thousand Without Power

Severe storms over the weekend have caused significant damage and at least one fatality in Banks County, Georgia, where a man died after a tree struck his car. The storms knocked out power to hundreds of thousands in Georgia, with utility companies like Georgia Power and Jackson EMC working tirelessly to restore electricity, aided by mutual aid crews from neighboring states. Similar deadly weather affected other southern states, including Mississippi, where another fatality was reported, and multiple tornado warnings were issued. Authorities across the South are bracing for further severe weather, with warnings for damaging winds, hail, and heavy rain stretching from Louisiana to the Carolinas. These events have put a spotlight on the vulnerability of communities to extreme weather and the challenges faced by emergency and weather services, especially amid staffing shortages at the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, South Africa is also preparing for a major winter storm expected to bring snow, heavy rain, and strong winds, with government officials urging residents to take precautions and avoid non-essential travel.