Tornadoes Level Alabama [VIDEOS]

Before I moved to Casper about 13 years ago, I spent most of my life in and around the town where I was born - Birmingham, Alabama.  I'm sure by now you've seen the news reports of the massive tornadoes that blew through on Wednesday, April 27.  Wanted to share some photos and videos from some friends and family that are there - and some Alabama news sources and radio stations I follow online.

Footage of the tornado that blew through Tuscaloosa, as seen from the studios of WZBQ and WTXT.  Debris from Tuscaloosa was found over 100 miles away:

More footage of the Tuscaloosa tornado - over a half-mile wide.  This was taken around a local shopping area/mall - just down the street from the University Of Alabama.  The person that got this video wasn't exactly practicing good tornado safety - but it was an incredibly close view of what happened:

This is a separate tornado in Empire, Alabama - about 10 miles from my Mom's house.  Coming through a wooded and lesser-populated area here, but the same storm caused some fatalities and destroyed a few neighborhoods as it kept going:

Above is a photo from my friend Scott - who lives just outside of Birmingham.  He and his family were riding out the storm in his inlaws' basement in Pleasant Grove - one of the areas hardest hit.  The amazing thing about this photo of a house that appears at first glance to have been knocked off its foundation - is that it's actually the house from across the street.  The house that was originally on this foundation is completely gone.

Another photo from Pleasant Grove of a house destroyed.

Hundreds of photos and videos are available here from all over the state, compiled by ABC 33/40 in Birmingham.

ABC News video with some more looks at the storms in various parts of the state:

At this writing, the death toll is at 128 and likely will go higher as search & rescue efforts continue.  The devastation is incredible, and it will be a long road to recovery.  If you can help, visit this website from the Alabama Governor's Office to learn more.