COLUMBIA, Miss. – Four people have been confirmed dead in Marion and Jones counties tornadoes touched down in the area Tuesday afternoon. Both the deaths in Marion County were close to the Highway 98 area. Several injuries have also been reported.
The counties reporting damages are as follows:
- Jones: Damage to homes and power outages.
- Marion: Damage to homes and businesses. Multiple roads closed. Numerous power outages.
Other damage included flipped cars, downed trees and power lines, busted car windows, and damage to several buildings. Highway 98 in Columbia was completely shut down. There was also damage done to the Wal-Mart on 98 and the surrounding buildings.
Emergency management workers are asking people to stay away from damaged areas, as there could be downed power lines and other life safety concerns. This could also keep first responders and critical aid from arriving on scene.
Damage assessments are ongoing.
Correspondent Marlon Davis:
Photos of the damage provided by a NewsMS listener:
