April 18 Tornado Outbreak – Statewide Damage Reports to MEMA

PEARL (PRESS RELEASE) – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) has received damage reports from 35 counties due to tornadoes and severe storms that impacted the state on April 18.

So far, the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jackson has confirmed two tornadoes in Hinds County.  They will continue to deploy survey teams throughout their coverage area until they complete all possible tornado assessments.

There were two deaths during the storm, however only one is confirmed to MEMA as a storm-related fatality.

These damage reports serve only as initial assessments from the county emergency management offices and will change (either higher or lower) as additional reports and assessments are sent to MEMA.

 Initial damage reports by county (assessments ongoing):

  • Adams: Power outages reported
  • Amite: One storm-related fatality
  • Chickasaw: Homes damaged
  • Claiborne: Power outages reported
  • Clay: Multiple roads flooded, couple of trees down
  • Clarke: Trees down; power outages reported
  • Copiah: Multiple power outages reported
  • Forrest: Trees down
  • Franklin: Power outages reported, homes damaged, several roads flooded
  • Harrison: Trees down, power outages reported
  • Hinds: Towns of Raymond, Utica, Learned and Clinton have significant damage.
    • NWS Jackson confirmed an EF-1 in Clinton and an EF-2 in Oakley.
  • Jefferson: Widespread power outages reported, trees down, multiple homes and businesses damaged.
  • Kemper: Unknown number of homes damaged
  • Lamar: Trees down
  • Lauderdale: Power outages reported, trees down.
  • Lawrence: Power outages reported
  • Leake: Damage reported in towns of Lena, Edinburg, Renfroe and Walnut Grove
  • Lincoln: One storm-related fatality
  • Lowndes: Trees down, power outages reported
  • Madison: Multiple homes and business damaged
  • Neshoba: One storm-related death, multiple homes damaged, power outages reported.
  • Noxubee: Multiple homes damaged, power outages reported
  • Oktibbeha: Several roads flooded, multiple homes damaged, trees down.
  • Pike: Power outages reported
  • Perry: Multiple homes and businesses damaged
  • Rankin: Power outages and downed trees reported
  • Scott: City of Morton reporting widespread damage; homes damaged throughout the county.
    • NWS Jackson survey team assessing tornado damage
  • Simpson: Multiple homes and businesses damaged
  • Smith: Widespread damage in the Polkville area
  • Walthall: Power outages reported
  • Warren: Multiple homes damaged, power outages reported, trees down
  • Wayne: Power Outages reported
  • Webster: Homes damaged
  • Wilkinson: Power outages reported
  • Winston: Power outages reported, multiple homes damaged

Shelters:

  • Smith County – Polkville Fire Station

State Assets/Resources Deployed:

  • MEMA’s Mobile Command Center has been deployed to Scott County in the city of Morton.
  • MEMA has deployed tarps to affected areas
  • MS Dept. of Public Safety has deployed law enforcement officers to assist with traffic flow and security.
  • MEMA has deployed bottled water to Neshoba County to assist with temporary water outage.
  • MS Dept. of Transportation has deployed barricades to assist with traffic flow and detour signage in Oktibbeha County.

The State Emergency Operations Center is activated and monitoring any requests or unmet needs from the county emergency management offices.

The public is encouraged to report damage to homes or businesses to their county emergency management office. A directory of all the offices can be found athttp://www.msema.org/county-ema/

MEMA will provide updates as information becomes available. The best way to get up-to-date information during this event is to “Like” MEMA on Facebook, or “Follow” us on twitter @msema.

Categories: Local News

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