Tiger on the loose after tornado destroys safari park
Ali Condon
Featured Image Credit: Pine Mountain Animal Safari park/Facebook
A tiger is currently on the loose in west Georgia, US after a tornado ripped through a local safari park over the weekend.
As the state suffers from severe weather conditions, locals have now been warned that a wild animal has been reported missing from a nearby safari park.
Troup County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Sunday (26 March) that at least one tiger is unaccounted for at the Pine Mountain Animal Safari park.
In the chaos of the tornado, it's unclear how exactly the tiger got loose.
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"We have received a report from the Pine Mountain Animal Safari that they are reporting a Tiger that is unaccounted inside the park," a statement from the Sheriff's Office read.
The tornado that tore through Troup County took down trees and telephone wires, damaged buildings, and trapped people in their homes, local news station WSBTV reports.
In the wake of the intense weather conditions, crews are still working to get to people who are trapped.
The number of injuries as a result of the tornado has not yet been confirmed.
While the Pine Mountain Animal Safari park has not yet issued a statement about the missing tiger, they did confirm this morning that they would remain closed for the day.
Authorities have alerted locals that a tornado watch is in place for Troup County until 1pm today, while a flood watch is in place until Monday, 27 March.
Locals have been asked to remain indoors where possible and avoid travelling specifically in around the West Point city limits.
A weather forecast for the rest of the day warns that thunderstorms and showers are likely for the rest of the day, with southwest winds running from five to ten miles per hour.
It's not only Georgia that's been affected by violent tornados - though they're the only state that has tigers thrown in the mix.
Alabama and Mississippi are also suffering from severe weather conditions that rampaged through the state on Friday (24 March).
Aggressive tornados flipped cars, ripped trees out of the ground, and knocked buildings into rubble.
Search and rescue teams are still working to find and free people who have been trapped or injured in the damage, and at least 25 people in Mississippi have been reported dead.
Speaking on the devastating losses, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said: "This is a horrific event. It's heartbreaking. There's really no other way in which to describe it. It is absolutely heartbreaking."