Tornadoes, flash flooding strike heart of Mississippi Sunday night
Published 9:59 pm Sunday, April 19, 2020
High winds, hail, thunderstorms and suspected tornadoes pounded parts of Mississippi Sunday as a severe weather system passed through portions of the state still reeling from a deadly tornado outbreak a week earlier.
Tornadoes reportedly touched down in portions of Lamar and Marion counties, emergency officials there reported. Details on damages were not immediately known as crews were still canvassing the area and were hampered by nightfall.
The National Weather Service’s Jackson office said storm spotters had confirmed a dangerous tornado in Lamar County.
Residents reported trees down and power outages around the area. Lamar County residents reported ping pong sized hail.
Police in areas across central Mississippi reported automobiles caught in high water caused by flash flooding. Rescues were reported from Vicksburg to Hattiesburg.
Hattiesburg police reported that U.S. 49 was closed due to flash flooding.
It was the second Sunday in a row that the South was hit with severe weather.
The storm threat comes a week after deadly Easter storms pounded the Deep South. The National Weather Service said more than 100 tornadoes struck the South that Sunday and Monday. Officials said at least 36 people were killed in the two-day outbreak of storms.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.