Published: February 3,2016
At least nine reports of tornadoes occurred in parts of Mississippi and Alabama Tuesday, according to the Storm Prediction Center, but each of those reports will need to be surveyed by a team from the National Weather Service to determine how many tornadoes were actually in progress. The severe storms took down trees and power poles and damaged structures in multiple towns.
(MORE: Where We Expect Severe Weather To Hit Next)
The threat was expected to continue Wednesday in the Southeast as the line of storms pushed toward the coast. Here's a look at some of the latest impacts from the severe side of Kayla.
Alabama
At least one large tornado was seen by chasers as it tracked through western Alabama Tuesday evening. It left behind structural damage in several towns, including Aliceville, where minor injuries were reported to the Associated Press.A tornado emergency was issued for Carrollton shortly after, warning residents to take cover immediately. Minutes later, a massive wedge tornado was picked up on chasers' live streams as they broadcast live on The Weather Channel and elsewhere.
"I was in the bed asleep at the time and it woke me up. It sounded like a train," Sapps resident Anthony Walker told AL.com. "It's the first time in about 25 years a tornado hit here. Everybody all the way back down there has damage for about a mile or two."
(MORE: The 10 Worst Tornadoes of 2015)
Despite all the damage, residents were relieved to learn nobody was killed by the massive tornado.
"We made it around to all the houses and I'm glad everybody got out," Sapps resident Devodrick Jackson told AL.com. "I don't really care about the materialistic stuff, I'm just glad no one got badly injured or killed."
South of Sapps and northwest of Aliceville, a survey team from the NWS viewed damage in the McMullen area Wednesday morning and gave it a preliminary rating of at least EF2. The NWS found 13 homes were destroyed, 10 of which were mobile homes, and three others damaged in that area.
According to police, a federal correctional facility in Aliceville was also damaged by the tornado and the administrative buildings were left "in bad shape," according to a FOX 6 reporter. None of the 1,850 inmates or staff at the women's prison were injured by the storm, federal authorities said in a statement.
In Birmingham, a car was stranded in flash flooding in the 3200 block of Messer Airport Highway Tuesday afternoon, WVTM-TV reported. The driver and her son escaped the vehicle safely.
A Mardi Gras parade scheduled in downtown Mobile was canceled and rescheduled for Thursday evening due to the inclement weather, according to the NWS.
About 10,000 customers were without power Wednesday morning, Alabama Power said.
Mississippi
Before the storms worked their way into Alabama, they left plenty of damage behind in several Mississippi towns Tuesday afternoon. Six of the nine Tuesday tornado reports occurred in the Magnolia State, though it's possible several of those reports may have come from the same twister.A radar-confirmed tornado whipped through Scooba, damaging buildings and trees on the East Mississippi Community College campus. Some student housing was among the damage, but college spokesperson Suzanne Monk said in a statement that nobody was injured on the campus and all were accounted for.
Before the supercell reached Scooba, a reported tornado caused damage in Collinsville, heavily damaging the First Baptist Church on Highway 19N. Barns were also damaged, roofs were blown off and trees were downed in the area and across roads. Mobile homes were flipped near Sharp Road and Highway 494.
Inside the church, Pastor Wade Ricks told WTOK.com he and his son hid under desks and prayed as the tornado ripped apart the structure.
“I heard it coming. I could not see it, but I could hear this awful sound,” Ricks told WTOK.com.
(MORE: Watches vs. Warnings – What's the Difference?)
Trees and power lines were downed and homes were also damaged in the town of Newton, according to local storm reports. The Department of Transportation reported that in Newton County, debris on MS 15 at MS 504 left all northbound lanes blocked.
Structural damage was reported by a radar-confirmed tornado in Prismatic. In Electric Mills, a possible tornado downed trees east of De Kalb.
The roofs were blown off of a house and store on Highway 145 on the north side of Shuqualak, according to NWS.
Rain continued to fall on Wednesday, leading to flooding in some areas. Flash floods were reported in several towns along a line from southern Mississippi through the middle of the state and up into the northeastern portion, according to NWS storm reports. Many roads were flooded by the heavy rain that fell Wednesday morning across the state.
Happened around 3:10 am
Driver was on highway 80 and the waters pushed his car in
He got out ok #Hwy80Flooding
Driver was on highway 80 and the waters pushed his car in
He got out ok #Hwy80Flooding
Tennessee
Severe storms left at least four homes damaged in Crockett County, northeast of Memphis, Emergency Management Agency Director Joe Jones told the Jackson Sun. U.S. 412 had to be closed for hours Tuesday night after strong winds blew a pair of tractor-trailers onto their sides, the report added.According to WBBJ-TV, officials confirmed that Crockett County Schools will be shut down Wednesday due to storm damage at Crockett County High School. Bells City Schools will also be closed due to storm damage in the area.
Crockett County Sheriff's Office Lt. Roy Mosier told the Jackson Sun that the storms shifted the football stadium a few inches at the high school, and engineers would have to examine the structure on Wednesday. No injuries were reported from these storms, the report added.
Storm damage along Hwy 54 in Alamo Tn. Live report at 7am
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