Strong tornadoes followed by severe thunderstorms tore through central and southern Mississippi on Wednesday, May 6.
The catastrophic storm left a trail of destruction, damaging more than 1,000 buildings and injuring four people.
The most affected areas include Lamar, Franklin and Lincoln counties, where officials report that hundreds of structures have been destroyed.
About 250 buildings were damaged in Lamar County alone, affecting a church and the county’s emergency response facility.
Several hours of southbound lane closures occurred along Interstate 55 due to the presence of debris. This was after the National Weather Service declared an “extremely hazardous situation” for some areas of southwest Mississippi, an uncommon classification used only for the strongest tornadoes.
About 14 tornadoes hit the region. After the thunderstorm, more than 19,000 consumers lost power early Thursday, May 7. Over 1,500 customers are still reported to be without power.
Four people were slightly injured, one of whom received stitches. In addition, several residents trapped under debris self-rescued.
The storm system has now moved into Alabama, where officials continue to monitor severe weather threats through early Thursday.
