* Three killed in South Carolina - report
* Possible tornadoes in Louisiana (Updates with more deaths, details)
By Colleen Jenkins
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Nov 17 (Reuters) - Severe storms and suspected tornadoes caused several deaths in three southern U.S. states, along with injuries, power outages and building damage, officials said on Thursday.
Officials confirmed six deaths in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia from the extreme weather that swept across the region on Wednesday.
In North Carolina, Governor Bev Perdue said in a statement, "We have reports that tornadoes touched down in Randolph and Davidson counties this evening, causing a fatality in Davidson." Buildings were damaged in both counties.
Two people died in central North Carolina according to preliminary reports, state Emergency Management Division spokeswoman Julia Jarema said on Thursday. She did not give further details.
Severe weather, including a possible tornado, was being blamed for three deaths in York County, South Carolina, according to authorities.
The county sheriff's office said the storm also injured five people and damaged houses and trees.
Earlier in the day, the storms passed through Jones County in southern Mississippi, injuring at least 15 people, said Don McKinnon, the county's emergency management director.
About three dozen homes and several businesses were damaged by strong winds from suspected tornadoes, McKinnon said.
Southwestern Alabama experienced widespread rain and thunderstorms and damage reports from a possible tornado, including downed trees, the National Weather Service said.
Thousands of Alabama Power Company customers in Montgomery, the state capital, and Auburn, home of Auburn University, lost power, said company spokesman Freddy Padilla.
A series of deadly tornadoes battered the U.S. Southeast in April, killing an estimated 364 people in states including Alabama and Mississippi. (Additional reporting by Kathy Finn in New Orleans, Peggy Gargis in Birmingham, Kelli Dugan in Mobile, Ala, and David Beasley in Atlanta; Editing by Jerry Norton)
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