PEARL – The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has now received damage reports from 15 counties from severe storms and flash flooding that occurred Thursday into Friday morning.
Damage assessments are ongoing and will be for several days as areas become accessible as water recedes.
There are three shelters open and being managed by the Mississippi Department of Human Services and the Red Cross for displaced citizens. There was a total population of 24 people in the shelters Friday night.
Forrest County Petal
- Civic Center
Jones County
- Saferoom in Laurel
Clarke County: Shubuta
- Senior Citizens Center
The public is encouraged to report damage to homes or businesses to their county emergency management office. A directory of all the offices can be found at HERE.
The National Weather Service is forecasting additional rainfall of up to an inch each day this weekend through Monday. There are flood warnings for several rivers in central and south Mississippi, so residents need to monitor conditions carefully.
Initial damage reports by county (assessments ongoing):
- Clarke: 36 homes, eight businesses and 60 roads damaged. Shelter Open.
- Covington: Roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Forrest: Homes and roads damaged or inaccessible. Shelter open.
- Greene: Homes and roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Jasper: Two homes, two businesses and seven roads damaged.
- Jefferson: Roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Jones: Homes and roads damaged or inaccessible. Shelter open. Two injuries.
- Lauderdale: Roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Lowndes: Roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Newton: Roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Pearl River: Roads damaged.
- Perry: Ten homes, 14 businesses, one farm building, 10 roads and one public building damaged.
- Warren: Twelve Homes, two businesses and two public buildings damaged.
- Wayne: Homes and roads damaged or inaccessible.
- Yazoo: Six homes and one business damaged.
More than 10 inches of rain fell in portions of south Mississippi causing extreme flash flooding. An EF-0 tornado was confirmed by the NWS in Yazoo County near Bentonia. Two injuries were reported in Jones County.
MEMA has provided tarps, sandbags and staff to affected counties to assist with damage assessments.
The State Emergency Operations Center is activated and monitoring any requests or unmet needs from counties. MEMA will provide updates as information becomes available. The best way to get up-to-date information during this event is to “Like” MEMA on Facebook, or “Follow” us on twitter @msema.