The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has released another damage report following nearly a week’s worth of severe weather across the state.
Severe storms and tornadoes that struck between April 2 and April 6 resulted in one life lost in Jasper County and seven others injured across Marshall (1), Pontotoc (1), Tate (2), and Tippah (3) counties. The deceased has been identified as 72-year-old Sue Welborn of Stringer.
MEMA has so far recorded damage in 20 counties: Alcorn, Benton, Bolivar, DeSoto, Forrest, Hinds, Jackson, Jasper, Kemper, Lafayette, Lowndes, Marshall, Pontotoc, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tunica, and Union.
Preliminary damage reports include 274 homes, four businesses, and nine farms. Of the homes affected, 50 were destroyed, while 53 sustained major damage. Marshall County, which saw 88 homes damaged, has a shelter open for survivors at Hudsonville C.M.E. Church in the Lamar community. The address is 778 South Slayden Road.
The state agency has filled requests for 2,000 sandbags, 530 tarps, 4,000 bottles of water, and more than 500 ready-to-eat meals. The American Red Cross is on the ground feeding survivors in affected counties, while the Mississippi Southern Baptist Disaster Relief is assisting homeowners with debris removal and tarping homes in several locations.
“MEMA welcomes all volunteers who want to help; however, we encourage individuals to avoid self-deploying,” a press release noted. “Instead, please join a verified organization or nonprofit that assists during disasters before heading to the affected area.”
A county breakdown of damage reported by MEMA can be found below.
- Alcorn: 9 homes
- Benton: 16 homes
- Bolivar: 1 home, 1 business
- DeSoto: 14 homes
- Forrest: Damage assessments ongoing
- Hinds: 3 homes
- Jackson: Damage assessments ongoing
- Jasper: 28 homes, 3 farms
- Kemper: 2 homes, 1 farm, 1 business
- Lafayette: 17 homes
- Lowndes: Damage assessments ongoing
- Marshall: 88 homes, 1 business
- Pontotoc: 1 injured, damage assessments ongoing
- Smith: 11 homes
- Sunflower: 4 homes, 1 business
- Tallahatchie: 6 homes
- Tate: 48 homes, 1 farm
- Tippah: 14 homes, 2 farms
- Tunica: 13 homes, 2 farms
- Union: Damage assessments ongoing
