Powerful storms hit Florida

Powerful storms battered Florida and other Southeastern states on Friday, leaving thousands without power and causing widespread damage.

Damaging winds uprooted trees and downed power lines following days of severe weather that had already brought tornadoes to Michigan, Tennessee, and other states.

Wind gusts of up to 114 km/h, just shy of hurricane force, were recorded in Tallahassee.

Reports are that the storm left a trail of destruction, with twisted fencing and mangled debris from damaged buildings strewn across the Florida State University baseball stadium.

The National Weather Service cited possible tornadic activity in the city, home to 200,000 residents.

More than 66,000 people in Tallahassee were without electricity, and 11 substations sustained damage. Restoration efforts were expected to continue through the weekend.

Storms wreak havoc across the region

Alabama also faced strong thunderstorms near the Florida Panhandle, where gusty winds threatened to topple tree limbs.

Across the Southeast, over 280,000 homes and businesses were affected by power outages, with Florida alone accounting for more than 180,000 of them.

In Jackson, Mississippi, a power outage at a major water treatment plant prompted authorities to urge residents to conserve and boil water as a precaution.

Reduced water pressure was expected as workers assessed the damage from the overnight storms.