Power companies struggled to restore electricity to thousands of people in Mississippi today, a day after a powerful storm swept through the southeastern US and killed at least four people.
Police in Columbia, Mississippi were stationed at all major intersections because traffic lights were swept away or destroyed amid yesterday's powerful storms. The severe weather also injured 50 people and damaged or destroyed an unknown number of homes and businesses.
The roof was ripped off the building of the Jack Morris Gas Co, a natural gas supplier.
Teams from the National Weather Service office in Jackson arrived in Marion and Jones counties today to determine whether a tornado was responsible for the limited swath of damage that cut across southern Mississippi.
In Alabama, authorities said thunderstorms left trees and power lines down across the state and flooded several roads.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch in south Georgia as thunderstorms continued in many parts of the state. A tornado watch was issued for parts of northern Florida. A flood warning was issued for Lawrence County in Alabama and Tangipahoa Parish in Louisiana.
Mississippi Gov Phil Bryant had declared an emergency yesterday for two southeastern counties where the victims died. Emergency management officials said four people were killed, three in mobile homes and one in a business.
Marion County Emergency Management director Aaron Greer said the 50 people injured in county were treated at Marion General Hospital in Columbia, about 80 miles southeast of the capital of Jackson, and Forest General Hospital in Hattiesburg. He did not know the extent of the injuries.
