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" It&amp;#039;s with a very heavy heart that I discuss today&amp;#039;s news\u2014especially on such a royal day. I have friends and family living in the southern states (they&amp;#039;re all OK!) and to say Wednesday&amp;#039;s weather series was a little too close to home, is an understatement. From Monday through Wednesday, a severe tornado outbreak struck states from Texas all the way to New York. Over the course of three days, a total of 250 tornadoes were spotted\u2014180 were in the state of Alabama alone on Wednesday. The majority of the awful weather struck the state of Alabama, specifically the city of Tuscaloosa and the surrounding small towns and areas. The number of deaths has crept to nearly 300, with 195 in Alabama alone. Two thousand national guards have stepped in to assist with the destruction and attempts to account for as many people as possible. Weather.com correspondent Jim Cantore reported yesterday on Tuscaloosa, &amp;quot;This is an awful situation. There is just so much debris. Thousands of buildings are just completely demolished.&amp;quot; Governors in Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia have issued state of emergencies. Earlier today, President Obama touched down in Tuscaloosa to asses the damage and talk with survivors. My thoughts and prayers are with all the people affected by this horrible event. Visit the American Red Cross to help victims and donate to Alabama. \u2013Olivia Putnal, Assistant Editor  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/life/news/a43312/devastation-in-the-south-7113/>