At least three people were killed and four children in a daycare center were injured as tornadoes tore through the U.S. south overnight and into Wednesday morning, forecasters said.

Three people were killed in Rosalie in northeast Alabama where at least one tornado was reported by a weather spotter, the National Weather Service reported on its website.

About 6 miles (10 km) east in Ider, Alabama, four children along with several other people were injured when a 24-hour daycare center was destroyed, the service said.

The National Weather Service fielded 27 reports of tornados as the storm system, packing hail and heavy downpours, moved through eastern Texas, northern Mississippi and Alabama and into southeast Tennessee late on Tuesday and early Wednesday morning.

The system destroyed homes and businesses, downed power lines and snapped trees, according to the weather service and local media.