Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 2

2A THE CLARION-LEDGER SUNDAY, APRL 25, 2010 lift aeiross 10 eonties vi the same super cell storm." Witnesses have said a wedge-shaped tornado was as much as a mile wide. "When you start seeing major damage to substantial structures like brick homes, that's when you get into stronger tornadoes," Lamb said. "We don't want to speculate too much, but youll probably be able to assume there were winds over 100 miles an hour based on that." By LaRay Brown laraye.brOOTSderiortedgar.cont and Gary Pettus opettuedariontedgar.com A massive tornado spawned by severe thunderstorms chopped a swath through the Mississippi landscape Saturday, leaving at least 10 people dead, including three children in Choctaw County. The tornado that experts say created winds stronger than 100 mph ripped up trees, blew away homes and businesses, destroying lives from Tallulah, through the heart of the state, upward pastStarkville. Businesses and homes including those with bricks in at least 20 counties were severely damaged or reduced to splinters.

In the Jackson area, more than 30 people were injured and taken to area hospitals. Scores of residents were left homeless or unemployed. Gov. Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency in 17 Rent likened it to the Fairfield tornado that ripped through a Madison subdivision in November 2001, and the November 2002 tornado that smashed Columbus. Barbour likened it to Hurricane Katrina.

Stacy Hollins was in Peebles Department Store on U.S. 49 in Yazoo City around noon Saturday when lights began flickering. The store manager had given everyone flashlights. "By the time she said 'Everyone take everything was flying," Hollins clarionledgerxont Interactive: Storm damage map Videos: Interview with a storm victim; Holmes County storm damage; Tornado strikes Yazoo City; Galleries: Franklin Community tornado; Yazoo City tornado; Eagle Lake tornado 1 nf r'niiMMn i I 'mTi Chris ToddTheClarion-Ledger Crystal Hood helps friend Tammy Swarek recover photos Sat- in the Franklin community. A tornado that hit Yazoo City earlier urday from the wreckage of Swarek's home on Mississippi 17 also ripped through this Holmes County area.

T3 1 I TZTT. 1 T-! 1 ZA 1 c3 J) Bolivar REPORTED TOUCH DOWNS STORM DAMAGE W0m OEP0lEl TOUCH DOWHS "fa H. I ute YVilM AHKT said. "I just saw shingles flying. I could feel the wind in the store.

We saw glass, insulation going everywhere. Children in the store were crying." Also in Yazoo City, Tameka Battle was at work at Wendy's on U.S. 49. She and others took cover in the bathroom. "It was kinda how your ears pop when you're on an airplane," Battle said.

"I couldn't even hear myself praying, but I know I was praying. I was scared. I was just crying and praying." At least 27 people injured were transported to UMC in Jackson. Many came from the Yazoo City and Holmes County areas, Guilfoyle said. Of the four patients taken to Baptist Medical Center, spokesman Robby Channell said three were in good condition and one was stable.

American Red Cross workers also were dispatched. 'Late Saturday, parts of Yazoo City and the county counties. Late Saturday night, about 11,000 customers remained without power, and some may not get utilities back until Tuesday. A 3-month-old in Choctaw County was the youngest to die, said Jeff Rent, spokesman for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. Five total were reported dead in Choctaw County, four in Yazoo County and one in Holmes.

Eight adults were in critical condition; 13 adults were in fair condition and six children were in serious condition, University of Mississippi Medical Center spokeswoman Patrice Guilfoylesaid. The storms moved into the state around 1 1:30 a.m. in Warren County, said Daniel Lamb, a meteorologist with the Jackson office oi the National Weather Service. The storm exited the state around 3 p.m. at Monroe County." "It's hard to say if you can attribute this to only one tor niuiuuic uii3 iu umj unc iui- Hazlehurst 'yl javej Wayne Joe EllisThe Clarion-Ledger Standing in his bedroom, Don-' aid Briner points through a hole in his duplex along Sea Island Drive on the shore of Eagle Lake in Warren County.

prayed for the best," he said. "Xuckily, it went off, we got out of the car and helped as many people as we possibly could." Staff writers Baydala, Bobby Jimmie Gates, Kyle Staff mapThe Clarion-Ledger 1 into their truck on 1-55 in Holmes County near Exit 150. The truck rolled over some six times into a ditch near a ter relief that would reimburse local and state agencies for emergency response and relief. Musician Dustin Thomas nonresidents and the Mississippi National Guard was deployed to help protect people and property. Rod Walker and photo direc-' tor Chris Todd contributed to this report.

mobile home, he said. Second District Rep. Ben- To comment on this story, call LaRaye Brown at (601) call LaRaye Brown at (601 remained inaccessible because of downed power lines and debris. State troop- iciiiaiiieu llldLLCBSiuic because of downed power lines and debris. State troop- and his band Burning Windsor were on their way from Vicks-burg to a show in Memphis when a sheet of rain smashed ir were on their way from Vicks- burg to a show in Memphis when a sheet of rain smashed 961-7280 or Gary Pettus at 961-7280 or Gary Pettus a fir TM nado," Rent said.

"They go nie Thompson visited Yazoo The storm came to a stop through regeneration cycles, County and said counties like- and sat on us for about 10 sec- but this damage all came from ers were denying access to ry will qualify for federal disas- onds. We just hoped and (601) 961-7037. like you were looking in the eyes of death Yazoo City resident says By Kathleen Baydala High winds ripped chunks from the rool Kbaydatocteriooied96f.com JT' tore away siding and smashed windowsbefor YAZOO CITY Sandra Grayson, who fTM "a- i scattering the bits across the parking lot. lives less than two miles south of Yazoo City, jmJt vLT -Z ---c "It's a mess," said Ashley's husband, Rol lives less than two miles south of Yazoo City, High winds ripped chunks from the roof, tore away siding and smashed windows before ts a mess, said Ashley husband, Rob Vr i 1. 13 1 was sitting on her front porch when she saw the tornado rumble across a hill.

So, she grabbed her two miniature schnau-zers, Bubba and Julie Belle, and hid in the bathroom. "I could hear all around me the trees twisting and swaying," she said. "I asked God to 1' sis hug us because it was like you could just tell you were looking in the eyes of death." When Grayson came out, tall pines and 100-year-old oaks had fallen like dominoes across her property many twisted and snapped at their Barbour Saxton, whose father owns the eatery. A few yards north, state health officials and nurses from King's Daughters Medical Center manned a triage center. "Most of those we are seeing are the walking wounded," American Medical Response operations manager Bryan Clay said.

"The critical ones have been people with lacerations. We have someone with an open chest wound who was transported." Throughout residential neighborhoods, officials and volunteers with chainsaws cut away trees that still blocked roads so rescue workers could continue searching into the night. "We still have people trapped in houses and cars," Gov. Haley Barbour said. The governor became teary describing the damage done to his hometown.

"This was enormous. It reminds me of (Hurricane) Katrina," he said. While crews were dispatched to restore power and gas, clear roads, and set up shelter, much of the early cleanup was coordinated by area residents, who navigated 4-wheelers around debris, hauling chainsaws, food and water to their neighbors. Instead of dwelling on their loss, the Sax-tons were among those who spent the afternoon doing what they could to help. They filled cups with ice from the restaurant's freezer and passed out cold water to the homeless and relief workers.

To comment-on this story, call Kathleen Baydala at (601) 961-7262. trunks or uprooted. But none had landed on her house. Severe storms sent tornadoes across the state Saturday afternoon, but Yazoo County was the epicenter of the wreckage. The tornado that hit the county around Yazoo City at noon left a swath of damage miles long, reducing churches, businesses and homes to splinters.

Brian Albert BroomTheClarion-Ledger bed-ridden, after his home was destroyed in Saturday's tornado in Yazoo City mall at U.S. 49 and Mississippi 16. Outside the boundary, people milled around, swapping stories. Ashley Saxton and her husband were driving toward her family's steakhouse, trying to beat the tornado closing in. "Our family had called and told us to come down, that they were all getting in the walk-in cooler to stay safe," she said.

"We were at the light when the driver's side window exploded. There was glass all over me. I panicked." The twister picked up the couple's car and spun them around. Despite minor scratches from broken glass, they were fine. The restaurant, Ribeye's Steak Seafood at U.S.

49 and Mississippi 16, was not. Alberta Harris points to a room from which she and others helped rescue her neighbor, who is At least four people died in Yazoo County. State highway patrolmen blocked the highway into town, allowing only residents to come in. And the Mississippi National Guard deployed 40 guardsmen to the city to prevent looting and help with damage assessment. It will be at least Monday before the scope of the damage in Yazoo County is known, Mississippi Emergency Management Director Mike Womack said.

"We're still focused on search and rescue," he said. "We also want to make sure (relief agency) workers have had enough rest so they can do a good assessment." MEMA and other emergency agencies set up a command post in the parking lot of a strip LetMichaek FlNF JF.WF.LRY 61 DISTINCTIVE GIFTS Northparic Mall. Iinwr Uvri-9S7-6IW New Orlrjm Baton Rouge Shreveport I San Antonki online: www.l MFJ.com It's her day to Happy Mothers Day.