Tornadoes kill at least 23 in Alabama

At least 23 people, some children, have been killed after tornadoes struck Lee County in eastern Alabama, authorities said.

Sheriff Jay Jones told the Associated Press the toll could rise, but rescue efforts had to stop until dawn due to the danger of searching in the dark, BBC reports.

"The challenge is the sheer volume of the debris where all the homes were located," he told CNN.

It is unknown how many are injured. Authorities have blocked off the area.

The National Weather Service (NWS) classified the first tornado to strike as at least an EF-3 - meaning winds of up to 165 miles per hour (266km/h) - carving a path at least half a mile (0.8km) wide.