Tuscaloosa tornadoes: Death toll at 36, Mayor Walt Maddox says

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama --- The death toll from the powerful tornado that struck the center of the city Wednesday has risen to 36, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox announced this morning at a news conference.
"We have utter destruction," he said. "We have neighborhoods that have basically been removed from the map."The number of injuries is more than 600 and approximately 44,000 homes are without power, Maddox said. "We're in an urgent phase of search and rescue," Maddox said. "Our fire and rescue department has set out a grid search in three primary areas of the city that include Rosedale, Forest Lake, Cedar Crest and Alberta. "We will not begin to shift over to the recovery phase until we are absolutely certain that everyone that is missing is accounted for." Maddox said he had just finished observing some of the damage from 500 feet in the air. "To say the least, it is massive," Maddox said. "I would estimate on a 3- to 4-mile stretch. In some parts, it's more than a half-mile wide." Little or no damage has been evident in downtown Tuscaloosa and on the University of Alabama campus. Much of the destruction is at or near the intersection of 15th Street and McFarland Boulevard, two main arteries in the college town.  Maddox said damage at University Mall did not appear to be extensive but a nearby shopping center was destroyed. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and Alabama EMA Director Art Faulkner will tour parts of Tuscaloosa this afternoon.  At DCH Regional Medical Center, 600 people have been presented, 100 have been admitted and five have been pronounced dead, hospital spokesperson Brad Fisher said. At the medical center's Northport location, 111 people have been presented, 12 admitted and four transferred to the regional medical center.