Jackson, MS, United States (AHN) - At least 10 people including an infant were killed, scores left homeless and cities left without power by tornadoes in Mississippi Saturday as residents throughout the southern and mid-Atlantic states braced for another day of violent weather on Sunday.
Severe weather on Saturday spawned tornadoes that stretched 150 miles, traveling northwest across Mississippi from Louisiana to Alabama.
One twister, reported to be almost a mile wide, crashed through Yazoo City in the western part of the state, killing four people and destroying homes and churches. Among the dead were two children, including a 3-month-old baby.
Five people in Choctaw County and one in Holmes County were killed as the storm raced across the state. Injuries were reported in 12 counties.
Governor Haley Barbour has declared 17 counties to be in states of emergency and has ordered the National Guard into the ravaged areas.
Saturday evening, the weather front moved into Alabama, producing more damage but no reported injuries. A tornado touched down about 10:15 p.m. in Sumiton, northwest of Birmingham, damaging homes and toppling trees and power lines. A mobile home park and some homes in Albertville in the northern part of the state were destroyed early Sunday morning.
Tornado watches were in effect until early Sunday morning in parts of 11 states spanning a region from Missouri to the west, Illinois and Indiana to the north to Virginia and North Carolina in the east.
Severe storms were possible throughout the Southeast into the early afternoon hours.
Quote selectie