Multiple tornadoes struck central and western Mississippi on Wednesday night, tearing roofs off of buildings and leaving residents trapped as roads remained flooded.
Several people were reported trapped in the Garden City and Perrytown area of Wilkinson County, Mattie Powell, director of the county’s Emergency Management Agency told WLBT.
Two people were attempting to flee the storm when a tree fell, blocking them in, she said, and another family was left trapped near the Oak Grove Church.
‘Residents state the trees are all around their home and they have no power and no way to get out,’ Powell said.
At least one other family is also trapped inside a home in Franklin County, but first responders are having difficulty reaching the home due to all the downed trees in the area, The Natchez Democrat reports.
‘As soon as we can get there, we will be there to help in any way we can,’ Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said as a tornado watch remains in effect in his county until 11pm.
In Lincoln County, a one-year-old was also reported missing, WJTV reports.
Across Franklin and Lincoln counties, 815 homes were affected by the severe weather, according to Mississippi Emergency Response Management.
Footage shared online showed structures reduced to rubble.
More than 21,000 people were also left without power in Mississippi on Wednesday night, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages across the nation.
Downed trees were hindering emergency response after a series of tornadoes struck down in central and western Mississippi on Wednesday
The Carthage Police Department also shared photos of flooding and fallen trees in Leake County following the tornado on Wednesday
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves asked the public to pray for his state
The Wash Mobile Home Park in Bogue Chitto was also reporting heavy damage, with some of the homes completely flattened.
‘I was just watching TikTok on my bed and thought it was thunder,’ resident Max Mahaffey told WAPT. ‘I went to my living room. I went back to my room – and the room’s gone.’
Mahaffey said he was not injured in the storm, but his grandmother hurt her ankle.
He also said some of his neighbors suffered cuts and bruises, while others may have broken bones.
Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office in Lamar County said it was receiving initial reports of roofs damaged to Industrial Park, while the Carthage Police Department shared photos of flooding and fallen trees in Leake County, according to WAPT.
Volunteer firefighters are now reportedly en route from other counties to help with the storm response.
But schools in Franklin County have already been canceled for Thursday, as much of the area remains without lights and water.
‘The state of Mississippi is in contact with local emergency managers and first responders,’ Governor Tate Reeves posted on social media, asking the public to ‘pray for Mississippi.’
Residents across the state were trapped inside their homes due to the downed trees and flooded roads
First responders are pictured trying to clear a road in Natchez, Mississippi Wednesday night
The National Weather Service in Jackson had originally issued a tornado emergency for Bude, Meadville, McCall Creek, Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto after a confirmed tornado was spotted near Meadville at around 7.09pm, moving east at 50mph.
‘This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TAKE COVER NOW!’ the weather service warned.
It later issued another warning for northeastern Lincoln County, Lawrence County and western Jefferson Davis County, after a confirmed large tornado was reported near Brookhaven just before 8pm, moving east at 35mph.
Forecasters urged anyone in the path of the storm to move to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.
Those in mobile homes, vehicles or outside were also told to move to the nearest substantial shelter.
The National Weather Service has also warned that strong to severe storms were expected to continue overnight across the Southeast, with the strongest storms capable of producing tornadoes, damaging wind gusts, large hail and flash flooding.
As the warning remains in effect, residents were asked to stay off the roads and continue sheltering in place.
