Heavy storms in southern US kill 4, injure 20 in Mississippi
At least four people have been killed and more than 20 injured in the US southern state of Mississippi as a result of a “possible tornado” and other severe storms, said the state’s Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
The heavy storms hit parts of the southern Mississippi early Saturday as National Weather Service office in Jackson dispatched a damage survey team to the area to probe what was believed to be a tornado that struck Forrest, Lamar and Perry counties, damaging buildings in Hattiesburg and Petal, including a college and a fire station.
"There are widespread power outages as the tornado ran across three counties lines," said Mississippi’s EMA spokesman Greg Flynn.
Local authorities further warned about downed power lines and debris spread over large areas, urging residents to avoid traveling.
This is while the National Weather Service issued an advisory saying that the city of Hattiesburg – the largest in Forrest County with a population of nearly 46,000 -- has endured “a lot of damage.”
Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny DuPree announced later that a search and rescue operation was underway in the city.
Most of the damage occurred on the downtown's outskirts, according to DuPree, who pointed out that a fire station as well as parts of William Carey University -- a private Christian college with nearly 4,000 students – were worst affected by the storms.
The university said student reported minor injuries as dormitories and other buildings on the campus were damaged.
The Mississippi EMA further announced that Interstate 59 highway north of Hattiesburg was shut down because of debris.
The storms were part of a weather system passing through southern Mississippi and Alabama.
The National Weather Service in Jackson has warned of hazardous weather conditions in parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, saying that severe thunderstorms with possibility of golf ball-sized hail, strong winds and tornadoes are likely.
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