At least one person was killed and 19 injured after a tornado struck central Mississippi overnight and destroyed 30 structures, authorities said.
A tornado touched down in the town of Louin, about 70 miles east of Jackson, around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, said Eric Carpenter, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson.Mr. According to Carpenter, it is possible that several tornadoes hit the area overnight, but survey crews assessed the damage on Monday morning.
On Monday afternoon, the Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Jackson County, in southeastern Mississippi near the Alabama border. Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi said on Twitter that another tornado hit the city of Moss Point, in the southern part of the province. “Please be careful,” he said.
Eight people were trapped inside a building in Moss Point, ABC and CBS local affiliate WLOX, based in South Mississippi, reported. Many roads in the city are “impassable due to standing water, downed trees, and power lines,” The Moss Point Police Department said on Facebook. City officials could not immediately be reached for more information Monday afternoon.
The person killed in the earlier tornado in Louin was George Jean Hayes, 67, who was taken from Jasper County to Southern Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, according to Don Sumrall, the Jones County coroner. Ms. Hayes was pronounced dead at 2:18 a.m. on Monday.
The tornado damaged between 20 and 30 structures, according to Randy Johnson, the sheriff of Jasper County, which covers Louin.
“We have some mobile homes that are completely destroyed. Roofs on houses,” said Mr. Johnson, adding “You know, what you would expect from a tornado.”
Most of the people with injuries at Laurel Medical Center are in stable condition or have been released from the emergency room, Becky Collins, a hospital spokeswoman said, adding that more victims may arrive at the hospital. later in the morning.
Gov. Reeves said to Twitter that emergency crews are conducting search-and-rescue missions in the region, using drones in “areas where it is impossible to fly because of power lines.”
As of Monday morning, nearly 350,000 customers across the South were without electricity, including more than 35,000 in Mississippi, according to poweroutage.us, which compiles data from utilities.
More than 29 million people, mostly in Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are under extreme heat warnings.
In the damaged areas, residents – most of them without electricity – also have to suffer from excessive heat, Mr. Carpenter said, that the heat index was close to 105 degrees, and higher in other places.
While people in Mississippi are used to high summer temperatures, this time of year the heat index is usually somewhere in the 90s, Mr. Carpenter said.
“It’s very hot,” he said, and of the people outside, trying to clean up without electricity, “the heat is definitely a concern.”
Temperatures are expected to drop to normal in the next few days. Currently, some severe thunderstorm warnings remain in effect, as well as river flood warnings, due to the amount of rain.
“Normal summer weather is still hot, what we’re dealing with today is much hotter,” said Mr. Carpenter.
Video and pictures of the damage in Louin show fields destroyed, houses flattened and debris strewn on roads. A video circulating on social media shows emergency responders rescuing people from destroyed homes in the middle of the night.
“It’s a very interesting weather pattern, especially in June,” Mr. Carpenter. “In this situation, the jet stream is very unique in that area and it creates a springlike situation.”
Mr. Carpenter said the fronts that hit the central part of the state were steady and brought a barrage of turbulent weather, including flash flooding.
Sunday night’s tornado came less than a week after severe storms swept through parts of the South, killing five people in three states.
“We have reached the end of this crazy pattern,” said Mr. Carpenter. “What we got last night we hope is the last major event we have to deal with.”
Claire MosesOrlando Mayorquin and Livia Albeck-Ripka contributed to the report.