Giant Tornado Kills at least 10 in Mississippi

Death, Devastation, “Utter Obliteration”

“It has done huge damage around Yazoo City.” —Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour

A mile-wide tornado ripped through central Mississippi, killing at least 10 people, trapping many more  in their homes, destroying hundreds of buildings and causing “utter obliteration” in parts of Yazoo County.

Tornado Touches down in Mississippi. Freeze frame from an AP news video.

“We have fatalities, a number of people that we’re still trying to rescue who are trapped in buildings. But it is a major, significant tornado … and it did some huge damage and perhaps some fatalities north of here,” Barbour said, calling the damage “utter obliteration.”

“We still have people trapped in houses and cars,” said a teary-eyed Barbour. “It reminds me of [Hurricane] Katrina.”

The tornado left a 6-mile-wide swath of destruction stretching from the Eagle Lake community in northern Vicksburg to Yazoo City and into Holmes County, leaving  homes, businesses, schools and churches reduced to piles of  rubble. The cost of damage in Yazoo County alone could easily top $10million.

The first major tornado of the year struck 15 counties, prompting Governor Barbour to declare a state of emergency.

Five people were killed in Choctaw County, including two children, four in Yazoo County and one in Holmes County, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency spokesman Greg Flynn was reported as saying.

“This sucker is leaving a path of destruction,” Flynn said, adding that  the tornado had jumped the Mississippi River into Mississippi just before noon.

“It caused a bunch of damage in Louisiana. Then it strengthened when it got into Issaquena.” He said.

“This sucker is leaving a path of destruction,” Flynn said.

Two waves of heavy storms struck the region between 8:00a.m.  and midday central time. The second wave was the more destructive one.

Tornadoes also struck Alabama Arkansas and Louisiana, and the severe weather is moving eastward.

National Weather Service Doppler Radar detected a persistent band of strong thunderstorms moving from Cartersville to Lindale to Cave Spring and further southwest into Alabama at about 8:00 p.m. EDT.

Severe Storms Forecast

Weather Hazard Warning Map – NWS

An Outbreak of Severe Thunderstorms Including Strong Tornadoes Is Expected Over Parts of the Mid-South, Central Gulf Coast States And Tennessee Valley this Afternoon and Evening. The NWS Storm Prediction Center in Norman OK is forecasting the development of a few strong, long-track tornadoes over parts of the Mid-South, Central Gulf Coast States and Tennessee Valley this afternoon and evening. This is a particularly dangerous situation. Click image for UPDATE and Details.

Damage in Louisiana

Complex Chemicals Co., a plant in Tallulah, La, was destroyed by a tornado, which also reduced 12 houses to a pile of splinters on Saturday, damaging many other buildings.

“Madison Parish Sheriff’s Maj. Neil Horath says a dozen people suffered broken bones, cuts or other injuries, and deputies had to clear fallen trees from several yards so people could get out of their houses. But he says nobody was seriously hurt.” AP reported.

Alberta Harris points to her Mississippi neighbour’s home where she and others helped rescue a bed-ridden man after a tornado struck on Saturday.  Photo: Brian Albert Broom/Associated Press. Image may be subject to copyright.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service reported that at least two tornadoes had touched down Thursday afternoon south and east of Denver.
A house in Aurora was struck by lightening and caught fire.

“Hail pelted parts of the metro area and blanketed the ground and roads east of Denver. Storms caused street flooding and temporarily knocked out power in parts of cities north of Denver.” AP reported.

Based on the recent climatic trends, Fire-Earth Moderators forecast a severe tornado season in 2010, which could prove exceptionally costly, both in human losses and property damage.

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