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Mississippi tornado kills 10
Thousands left without power as state governor describes scenes of 'utter obliteration'
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk,
Sunday 25 April 2010 11.27 BST
Tornado-hit cars in Eagle Lake, Mississippi. Photograph: Joe Ellis/AP
A deadly tornado swept through the US state of Mississippi yesterday, killing at least 10 people including three children.
The state governor, Haley Barbour, described scenes of "utter obliteration" after the high winds tore roofs off buildings and flipped cars. Thousands of people were without electricity, and downed power lines and trees blocked roads.
Tornadoes were also reported in Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama, and the severe weather continued to move north-east today as winds tore down trees in Georgia.
Essie Hendrix, manager of the Peebles department store in hard-hit Yazoo City, Mississippi, said she and other employees were inside with about 15 customers when the tornado struck.
"It was like a rumbling and a roaring and stuff was falling," she said. "It sounded like it was going to suck us out of there. It lasted about two minutes, but it felt like it lasted an hour." No one in the store was injured.
In Choctaw County, the victims included children aged three months, nine and 14. Authorities were going house-to-house in areas with the worst damage to check for any injured.
Jim Pollard, a spokesman for the American Medical Response ambulance service, said four patients from Yazoo County were airlifted and around 20 others were taken to hospitals. At least four people were in critical condition.
Thousands left without power as state governor describes scenes of 'utter obliteration'
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk,
Sunday 25 April 2010 11.27 BST
Tornado-hit cars in Eagle Lake, Mississippi. Photograph: Joe Ellis/AP
A deadly tornado swept through the US state of Mississippi yesterday, killing at least 10 people including three children.
The state governor, Haley Barbour, described scenes of "utter obliteration" after the high winds tore roofs off buildings and flipped cars. Thousands of people were without electricity, and downed power lines and trees blocked roads.
Tornadoes were also reported in Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama, and the severe weather continued to move north-east today as winds tore down trees in Georgia.
Essie Hendrix, manager of the Peebles department store in hard-hit Yazoo City, Mississippi, said she and other employees were inside with about 15 customers when the tornado struck.
"It was like a rumbling and a roaring and stuff was falling," she said. "It sounded like it was going to suck us out of there. It lasted about two minutes, but it felt like it lasted an hour." No one in the store was injured.
In Choctaw County, the victims included children aged three months, nine and 14. Authorities were going house-to-house in areas with the worst damage to check for any injured.
Jim Pollard, a spokesman for the American Medical Response ambulance service, said four patients from Yazoo County were airlifted and around 20 others were taken to hospitals. At least four people were in critical condition.
