Early reports from the National Weather Service show Thursday's devastating severe weather outbreak spawned an estimated 19 tornadoes across the state of Alabama.

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Five fatalities have been confirmed in Calhoun County where a tornado tore through Ohatchee, killing three members of one family.

Major damage was caused by a large an especially violent tornado that tracked through Greene, Hale, and Bibb Counties. Many tornadoes were on the ground for miles at a time, the longest of which is believed to have started in Sumter County and ended in Rome, Georgia--a distance of 220 miles.

Crews from the Weather Service will be out today to survey damage in an effort to confirm how many tornadoes touched down in Alabama.

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KEEP READING: What to do after a tornado strikes

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