4 years later, Lee County marks anniversary of deadly EF-4 tornado

Published: Mar. 3, 2023 at 6:03 AM CST|Updated: Mar. 3, 2023 at 6:20 PM CST
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LEE COUNTY, Ala. (WSFA) - Friday marks four years since an EF-4 tornado touched down in Lee County, killing 23 people, injuring 90 others and leaving behind mass destruction.

On that day, March 3, 2019, multiple tornadoes touched down across the state, including the violent EF-4 that ravaged southern Lee County before moving into Georgia.

Alabama wasn’t the only state impacted by severe weather that day. Forty-one tornadoes touched down across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, with a dozen of them hitting Alabama. Only the Beauregard-Smiths Station tornado was deadly.

MORE: A look back at the March 3, 2019 tornado outbreak

PHOTOS: A look back at the Lee County tornado devastation in pictures

These 23 people lost their lives in the March 2, 2019 tornado that hit Lee County.
These 23 people lost their lives in the March 2, 2019 tornado that hit Lee County.(Source: WSFA 12 News)

A permanent memorial remembering all 23 victims sits on the property of Providence Church, located in the heart of the Beauregard area. It also honors the first responders and the people who volunteered in the aftermath of the storms.

A special public memorial service will be held Friday at 7 p.m. at Providence Church.

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