Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 1

DISASTER IN THE NIGHT --i Metro edition Jackson, Mississippi Monday November 23, 1992 it, -Tti1 AMSrS' Scott BoydThe Clarion-Ledger Brandon's Wellington Place took a direct hit from the tornado. What's left of the home of Terry and Ann Smith is at the end of the cul-de-sac at the upper left. Smith and three children, including his son, were killed. Story 3D. Fordice: It is total, absolute destruction in some places' ana, the storms raced through 19 counties from shortly before midnight until about 3:20 a.m.

Hardest hit was Rankin County next to Jackson. There 10 died, including three Cub Scouts at a slumber party at Brandon's Easthaven subdivision. Other death tolls were two in Webster County and one each in Leake, Choctaw and Kemper counties, officials said. "It is a terrible disaster," said Fordice, who made a National Guard helicopter tour of a 30-mile stretch of Rankin County. "It is total, absolute destruction in some places." Fordice said he would seek federal aid to provide emergency loans, rental assistance and family grants.

"We'll have a request out (Monday) afternoon," he said. Federal aid also can be used to pay for funeral expenses, medical bills and transportation expenses for the uninsured. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Jim Maher was reluctant to pinpoint damage estimates, other than saying it is clearly "millions of dollars." In the 19 counties, at least 183 mobile homes or homes were damaged or destroyed, MEMA officials said. "Timber is down; houses, mobile homes are destroyed. Power lines are down," Maher said.

Mississippi Power Light Co. spokesman Edd Jussely said power should be restored to most homes today. About 12,000 homes statewide were without power immediately after the storm, but by 8 p.m. Sunday fewer than 700 lacked electricity. Power was to be restored by this morning in Attala, Covington and Lincoln counties.

Crews also hoped to restore power to about 500 customers in Brandon and about 50 in Florence by late today. Jussely warned residents to avoid dozens of downed power lines. "They may appear to be dead, or may have been dead at one time, but they can become energized," he Rankin County, with 10 dead, hardest hit; more than 200 hurt statewide. By Andy Kanengiser and Butch John Clarion-Ledger Staff Writere Tornadoes killed 15 and injured more than 200 Saturday and Sunday in Mississippi in what Gov. Kirk Fordice said was one of the state's worst disasters.

Striking from Texas and Louisi said. The American Red Cross and other agencies opened shelters in Rankin, Attala, Choctaw, Covington, Jasper, Jefferson Davis and Smith counties. "I went to Homestead, to look at the damage at a trailer park (from Hurricane Andrew). This is worse," said 3rd District U.S. Rep.

Sonny Montgomery, who was on the helicopter tour with Fordice. "It's worse than I thought it might be." See TORNADO, 5 A iiJii.W'iVMiiWi'M.I t' -l i rr-rlM -v. CT'Yf ut -tel. i-A ii 1lL 1 tup 1 'liUB' Greg JensonThe Clarion-Ledger Tom RosterThe Clarion-Ledger Janet Hooper, 19, collects belongings Sunday from her mobile home, blown about 150 yards by a tornado Saturday night. 4 die in mobile home park BRANDON Four people died when Duncan's Mobile Home Sales and Service on Mississippi 468 was ravaged by a tornado that demolished all but about four of 30 trailers located there.

Most of the park's 60 residents are homeless. Pearl Volunteer Fire Chief Lewis Herring-ton said the disaster was the worst he has seen. Page 3D Tom RosterThe Clarion-Ledger Selisa Vance, 6-day-old daughter of Curtis Vance and wife Adrian (not pictured) of Florence, was found by relatives in underbrush. 2 killed, but baby survives FLORENCE Newborn Selisa Vance escaped serious injury after she was sucked from her father's arms and swept from their mobile home. But Donna Overstreet, 31, and Sarah Lou West, 68, died when tornado winds cut a path through Traylor Road just off Seventh Day Adventist Road.

Page ID Relatives and volunteers help salvage belongings of the Ralph Hol-lingsworth family Sunday near Mississippi 35 in Mount Olive. Some victims give thanks MOUNT OLIVE Some Covington County residents near here lost virtually all their possessions Saturday night, but they spent Sunday thanking God for their lives. Officials say no one died in storms that tore a swath down Mississippi 35, flattening mobile homes and damaging brick structures. About 100 were injured. Page6D 3 i)MaW' I 1 p.i.

u. I. nun in in i ii i I ii Ui. 1 3C Movies 2C WEATHER Partly sunny; 2B Opinion high upper 60s. Details, 8A.

3C Southern Style 1C 3B Sports 1E Volume 1551 No. 279 3C State Metro 1B 5 sections 40 pages 4B TV schedules 5.6C "Copyright 1992 The Clarion-Ledger has a special telephone line today 961-7258 for your questions about storm relief and recovery. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Staff writer Butch John will answer questions when possible and direct callers to appropriate, agencies for help.

Cryptoquip Deaths Horoscope Jack Sunn Jumble Monday Advertiser index 4A Ann Landers 3C Bridge 3C Classified 5E Comics 4C Crosswords 3C.