The governors of Alabama and Georgia have declared states of emergency after severe weather swept across southern states Thursday, killing at least seven people. The National Weather Service reported nearly three dozen tornadoes, including a “large and extremely dangerous” twister that caused significant damage to downtown Selma, Alabama.

In California, officials have issued evacuation orders for low-lying areas of the Salinas River Valley, where floodwaters threaten to turn the Monterey Peninsula into an island. Forecasters predict more heavy rain into next week.