At least one person died and nearly two dozen were injured after multiple tornadoes swept through Mississippi late Sunday night, officials said Monday.
The tornadoes hit Rankin County and Jasper County from Louin to Bay Springs to Turnerville, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement on Twitter. Crews were conducting search and rescue missions Monday and assessing damage, he said.
The tornadoes that struck Mississippi were part of a severe weather system that pounded the Southeast, producing powerful thunderstorms and large hail, Accuweather reported. A total of seven “preliminary” tornadoes swept through parts of Mississippi and Florida on Sunday, Accuweather said, citing the Storm Prediction Center.
Becky Collins, the vice president of marketing and community relations at South Central Regional Medical Center, said the medical center received 20 storm victims from the Louin area. Of the 20 victims, “we have had one fatality,” Collins said in a statement to USA TODAY.
“The other victims are stable and most have been discharged,” Collins said. The medical center is located in Laurel, Mississippi, about 45 minutes north of Louin.
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More than 49,000 homes without power, officials say
More than 49,000 homes in central Mississippi were without power as of Monday morning, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.
“Emergency crews are doing additional SAR missions and damage assessments in both areas now − with drones in those areas where it is impossible to get by vehicle due to downed power lines,” Reeves said. “Multiple damaged homes and road closings in both communities.”
Tornadoes hit the South:At least 5 dead; thousands without power after severe storms
Shelters open in Jasper County for displaced residents
The Jasper County Community Center is open for residents who were displaced from the storms, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department said Monday. The Red Cross will also be on site.
