Amy
04-06-2005, 06:09 PM
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14296223&BRD=1377&PAG=461&dept_id=172922&rfi=6
BRANDON - A line of violent thunderstorms packing apparent tornadoes, high winds and heavy rain pushed across the state this morning, cutting a swath of damage and injuries across central and southwest Mississippi.
''We know there are people hurt in the Monterey Road area'' southwest of Brandon in Rankin County, said Lea Stokes of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. ''The ambulance service reported transporting six injuries from that area to a hospital in Rankin County.''
In Pike County, Civil Defense volunteer Kevin McKenzie said there were reports of minor injuries, including a person who was trapped in a mobile home.
McKenzie said numerous homes were damaged and there was extensive damage to timber and utility lines.
''The southeast part of the county has been hit hard,'' McKenzie said Wednesday.
Widespread minor damage was reported in Lawrence County, and Lincoln County civil defense officials were scrambling to assess the situation there at press time.
Lincoln and Lawrence counties were under tornado watches earlier in the day, and a possible touchdown was reported at Manning's Crossing in Walthall County, just across the Lawrence County line. Officials also cited possible funnel clouds in Lincoln County northwest of King's Daughters Medical Center at 9:45 a.m. and above the Brookhaven Municipal Airport at 10 a.m.
Information was sketchy as officials responded to damage reports and tried to identify potential tornadoes.
In Lincoln County, crews worked to clear roads and spot potential tornadoes.
"I don't have time to talk right now," said Clifford Galey, the county's civil defense director when contacted about 9:30 a.m.
Galey said his office had received no severe damage reports but had received plenty of hail and high wind reports.
In Lawrence County, Civil Defense Director Robert Patterson said volunteers were scattered throughout the county clearing roads and assessing damage.
"We've got reports of baseball-sized hail in Arm and several trees down in the Silver Creek and Topeka area," he said.
At 9:45 a.m., Patterson said there were no verified reports of home damage, but officials had been dispatched to check an unverified report of a tree on a house near Silver Creek on Highway 43 North.
Crews sent to investigate the report of a tornado touchdown at Manning's Crossing were delayed by fallen trees across Highway 27 South, Patterson said. He said they were clearing the road and would try to continue on afterwards.
Galey said the storm was the result of a slow-moving front and was expected to last "through the day and maybe even some tonight and tomorrow."
Across both central and southern counties, there were reports of downed trees and some power outages.
Numerous mobile homes were destroyed and damage was reported to roofs and vehicles in areas south and southeast of Brandon, especially along Monterey Road between Florence and Brandon.
Jill Ball, a 20-year-resident along Monterey Road whose parents also live in the area, said she was stopped at a roadblock as she tried to return home from work.
She said had not heard from her husband or her parents.
''I've got my whole family back there,'' Ball said as she looked past the roadblock.
Stokes said roads were still being cleared along Monterey Road southwest of Brandon at midmorning.
''We have emergency rescue teams on the scene,'' she said.
Monterey Road was blocked off to all but emergency vehicles Wednesday morning.
''We also have reports of touchdowns in Scott County near Osaka and in Pike County,'' Stokes said. ''There are reports of damage, trees down and power lines down.''
Officials in Scott County said they had no reports of injuries but that damage was reported north of Morton on Mississippi 481.
''In Walthall County in the Rolland area, we have reports of damaged roofs and downed trees,'' Stokes said. ''We don't have a lot more right now, everything is still coming in.''
Besides Monterey Road, damage in Rankin County included along Brandon-Star Road south of Brandon. Officials also reported damage in the Florence area, southwest of Brandon.
The National Weather Service has not confirmed a tornado although warnings were issued and the public reported seeing a funnel cloud in the area.
The new Brandon High School, under construction on new Mississippi 18, also was damaged.
Truman Johns, construction manager-superintendent for the company building the school, said there appeared to be extensive roof damage, along with shattered skylights and windows.
BRANDON - A line of violent thunderstorms packing apparent tornadoes, high winds and heavy rain pushed across the state this morning, cutting a swath of damage and injuries across central and southwest Mississippi.
''We know there are people hurt in the Monterey Road area'' southwest of Brandon in Rankin County, said Lea Stokes of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. ''The ambulance service reported transporting six injuries from that area to a hospital in Rankin County.''
In Pike County, Civil Defense volunteer Kevin McKenzie said there were reports of minor injuries, including a person who was trapped in a mobile home.
McKenzie said numerous homes were damaged and there was extensive damage to timber and utility lines.
''The southeast part of the county has been hit hard,'' McKenzie said Wednesday.
Widespread minor damage was reported in Lawrence County, and Lincoln County civil defense officials were scrambling to assess the situation there at press time.
Lincoln and Lawrence counties were under tornado watches earlier in the day, and a possible touchdown was reported at Manning's Crossing in Walthall County, just across the Lawrence County line. Officials also cited possible funnel clouds in Lincoln County northwest of King's Daughters Medical Center at 9:45 a.m. and above the Brookhaven Municipal Airport at 10 a.m.
Information was sketchy as officials responded to damage reports and tried to identify potential tornadoes.
In Lincoln County, crews worked to clear roads and spot potential tornadoes.
"I don't have time to talk right now," said Clifford Galey, the county's civil defense director when contacted about 9:30 a.m.
Galey said his office had received no severe damage reports but had received plenty of hail and high wind reports.
In Lawrence County, Civil Defense Director Robert Patterson said volunteers were scattered throughout the county clearing roads and assessing damage.
"We've got reports of baseball-sized hail in Arm and several trees down in the Silver Creek and Topeka area," he said.
At 9:45 a.m., Patterson said there were no verified reports of home damage, but officials had been dispatched to check an unverified report of a tree on a house near Silver Creek on Highway 43 North.
Crews sent to investigate the report of a tornado touchdown at Manning's Crossing were delayed by fallen trees across Highway 27 South, Patterson said. He said they were clearing the road and would try to continue on afterwards.
Galey said the storm was the result of a slow-moving front and was expected to last "through the day and maybe even some tonight and tomorrow."
Across both central and southern counties, there were reports of downed trees and some power outages.
Numerous mobile homes were destroyed and damage was reported to roofs and vehicles in areas south and southeast of Brandon, especially along Monterey Road between Florence and Brandon.
Jill Ball, a 20-year-resident along Monterey Road whose parents also live in the area, said she was stopped at a roadblock as she tried to return home from work.
She said had not heard from her husband or her parents.
''I've got my whole family back there,'' Ball said as she looked past the roadblock.
Stokes said roads were still being cleared along Monterey Road southwest of Brandon at midmorning.
''We have emergency rescue teams on the scene,'' she said.
Monterey Road was blocked off to all but emergency vehicles Wednesday morning.
''We also have reports of touchdowns in Scott County near Osaka and in Pike County,'' Stokes said. ''There are reports of damage, trees down and power lines down.''
Officials in Scott County said they had no reports of injuries but that damage was reported north of Morton on Mississippi 481.
''In Walthall County in the Rolland area, we have reports of damaged roofs and downed trees,'' Stokes said. ''We don't have a lot more right now, everything is still coming in.''
Besides Monterey Road, damage in Rankin County included along Brandon-Star Road south of Brandon. Officials also reported damage in the Florence area, southwest of Brandon.
The National Weather Service has not confirmed a tornado although warnings were issued and the public reported seeing a funnel cloud in the area.
The new Brandon High School, under construction on new Mississippi 18, also was damaged.
Truman Johns, construction manager-superintendent for the company building the school, said there appeared to be extensive roof damage, along with shattered skylights and windows.