Witness: I'm thankful to be alive

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Folks near Dauphin and Rickarby streets tell FOX10 News they're thankful to be alive after a tornado passed through Mobile Tuesday.

There are reports of power lines down and walls missing from homes. One woman lost her entire roof.

Trinity Episcopal Church was also heavily damaged.

One witness describes what he saw.

"We put on the television and saw where things were happening. someone went outside and saw, literally saw, it. And we went out there and saw the funnel... So we all ran into the bathroom in the two story, we all crowded in there and it lasted about 10 seconds. We had 12 people in the bathroom. It sounded exactly like what they say - a freight train. Then we heard the glass breaking, not good," he said.

A FOX10 crew also saw several people walking around with suitcases, obviously frightened. A lot of their valuables were ruined from the rain.

They also voiced concerns of looters, and that's why they were packing up their valuables. Residents are hoping for a stronger police presence.

A man who lives on Carlen street in Mobile near Murphy High School also talked to our crew. He said he saw a large white funnel cloud barreling toward him.

He and his wife grabbed their dog and ran inside. He said it sounded like bombs and explosions going off. When he walked outside it looked like a war zone.

Power lines down roofs and two houses down the street from him had their roofs torn off.