At least one person dead after severe storms, tornadoes rip across Mississippi
Published 7:25 am Monday, April 20, 2020
A powerful storm system that appeared to have spawned at least two tornadoes Sunday afternoon and evening has claimed at least one person’s life, state emergency managers confirmed early Monday.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) confirmed one person died as a result of Sunday’s severe weather outbreak. The person died in Marion County, MEMA reported.
Details of what occurred and the identity of the victim were not released.
Residents and storm spotters across the Pine Belt region of Mississippi reported damage and lots of flash flooding. Storm chasers reported hail the size of ping pong balls.
The National Weather Service’s Jackson office said that a storm spotter had confirmed a tornado in Lamar County after it was spotted on radar.
Reports of tornadoes in Lamar County and Marion County were reported along with damage reports of at least several houses damaged, trees snapped, power lines down and several roads and highways blocked due to flash flooding.
Sunday’s severe weather came exactly one week after a more widespread severe weather system ripped across Mississippi, spawning more than a dozen tornadoes and killing more than a dozen people as well.