Tornado injures three in Alabama

A tornado has struck Birmingham, Alabama, damaging houses, uprooting trees and injuring at least three people in the state's largest city, law enforcement and weather officials say.

National Weather Service meteorologist Jody Aaron said the twister was confirmed to have touched down in the southwestern portion of town at about 5pm local time on Friday (10am AEDT Saturday), adding, "There does appear to be some significant damage."

Birmingham Police Lieutenant Sean Edwards said at least three people were taken to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Edwards said several houses were damaged, trees were toppled and power was knocked out in the area.

Images published online by local media outlets showed lawns scattered with debris from what appeared to be homes and some collapsed structures.

Alabama has been hit with storms and heavy rain since Wednesday, and the Weather Service issued flash flood warnings around the region for Friday.