The Latest: Torrential storms flooding roads in Alabama

Torrential storms dumped 10 inches of rain or more across parts of southeast Alabama, causing widespread flooding Thursday.

Muddy water covered dozens of roads, forcing holiday travelers to take long detours.

In Chambers County, emergency officials said two roads had collapsed because of rain, causing natural gas leaks from ruptured lines.

Photos posted to social media showed cars covered by water in multiple counties and a washed-out road that resembled a waterfall in Macon County.

The National Weather Service said a widespread swath of Coffee County received as much as 10 inches of rain in a 24-hour period ending 7 a.m. Thursday, and a foot of rain was recorded north of Enterprise.

Storms extending from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast caused hundreds of flight delays for travelers trying to get home for Christmas.

Authorities say heavy rains caused a mudslide on a mountain in north Georgia, flooded a movie theater lobby and inundated and closed several roads across the state.

Emergency officials say six people have been confirmed dead in Mississippi while searches continue for people missing in communities with severe storm damage.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency says dozens of people are being treated for injuries after Wednesday's tornado outbreak.

Emergency officials were checking for possible tornado damage before dawn on Christmas Eve in southeast Alabama after the National Weather Service said radar showed what appeared to be a mass of debris from a tornado.

Alabama Power Co. says about 3,500 homes and businesses are without power, most in the Mobile area and southeastern Alabama, where forecasters say torrential rain was falling at a rate of 5 inches an hour.

To the north, a weather service team was headed to Lauderdale County, Alabama's northwestern corner, to determine whether a tornado was to blame for damage that included downed trees and damaged homes.