Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 2

2A THE CLARION-LEDGER SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 20 10 lil (XARIONLEDGER.COM sis bin i By LaRaye Brown laraya.brownclarionladgar.com and Gary Pettus gpettU8clarlonladgar.com Severe thunderstorms struck Mississippi on Saturday, leaving at least 10 people dead, including three children in Choctaw County. Businesses and homes including those with bricks in at least 20 counties were severely damaged or reduced to splinters. At least 30 people the November 2002 tornado that smashed Columbus. Barbour likened it to Hurricane Katrina. Around noon, lights began flickering at Peebles Department Store on U.S.

49 in Yazoo City, said Stacy Hollins. The store manager had given everyone flashlights. "By the time she said 'Everyone take everything was flying," Hollins said. "I just saw shingles fly IN I a jar were injured and taken to area hospitals. A throng of residents are homeless or unemployed.

Gov. Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency in 17 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 Ghoctaw 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.

The storms moved ing. I could feel the wind in the store. We saw glass, insulation going everywhere. Children in the store were crying." Tameka Battle was at work at Wendy's on U.S. 49 in Yazoo City.

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 the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.

Many came from the Yazoo City Wirt ft, claiionledger.com Interactive: Storm damage map Videos: Interview with a storm victim; Holmes County storm damage; Tornado strikes Yazoo City; Coast Guard Galleries: Franklin Community tornado; Yazoo City tornado; Eagle Lake tornado; Gulf oil rig explosion Chris ToddThe Clarion-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. STORM DAMAGE Li Wr-wvvi VauJ I REPORTED TOUCH DOWNS REPORTED TOUCH DOWNS i 77" LA. -lv1, "M- -1 1 a' t'i into the state around 11:30 a.ra in Warren County, said Daniel Lamb, a meteorologist with the Jackson office of the National Weather Service. The storm exited the state arourid 3 p.m.

at Monroe County. "It's hard to say if you can attribute this to only one tornado," Rent said. "They go through regeneration cycles, but this damage all came from the same super cell storm." Witnesses have said a wedge-shaped tornado was as much as a mile wide. "When you start seeing and Holmes County areas, said Patrice Guilfoyle, spokeswoman for the the hospital. Eight adults were in critical condition; 13 adults were in fair condition and six children were in serious condition, 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 remained inaccessible yjl Smith ALA' JiHazlehurst 3'' major damage to substantial Joe EllisThe Clarion-Ledger Standing in his bedroom, Donald Briner points through a hole in his duplex along Sea Island Drive on the shore of Eagle Lake in Warren County. out of the car and helped as many people as we possibly; could." jj Staff writers Kathleen) Baydala, Bobby Jimmie Gates, Kyle Veazeyy Rod Walker and photo director Chris Todd contributed to this report. To comment on this story, structures like brick homes, because of downed power that's when you get into lines and debris.

State troop-stronger tornadoes," Lamb ers were denying access to nonresidents and the Missis said. "We don't want to speculate too much, but youH probably be able to assume there were winds over 100 miles an hour based on that." Rent likened it to the Fair sippi National Guard was deployed to help protect people and property. ,1 i Second District Rep. Ben-nie Thompson visited Yazoo Staff mapThe Clarion-Ledger mobile home, he said. The storm "came to a stop and sat on us for about 10 seconds.

We just hoped and onas. we just nopea ana phis when a sheet of rain smashed into their truck on I-55 in Holmes County near local and state agencies for emergency response and relief. Musician Dustin Thomas and his band Burning Wind ana nis Dana Burning wina- Exit 150. nxinou. County and said counties like County and said counties call LaRaye Brown at (601) call LaRaye Brown at (60 field tornado that ripped through a Madison subdivision in November 2001, and tield tornado that npppd through a Madison subdivi- sion in November 2001, and 961-7280 or Gary Pettus at 96 1-7280 or Gary Pettus i like- ly will qualify for federal disas- sor were on their way from The truck rolled over some prayed for the best," he said.

ter relief that would reimburse Vicksburg to a show in Mem- six times into a ditch near a "Luckily, it went off, we got (601)961-7037. like you were looking in the eyes of Yazoo City resident says By Kathleen Baydala Wj- 1 High winds ripped chunks from the roc kbaydaiaciart0niad9ar.com AS toreawaysiding and smashed windowsbefo YAZOO CITY Sandra Grayson, who scattering the bits across the parking lot. High winds ripped chunks from the roof, tore away siding and smashed windows before Its a mess, said Ashley husband, Rob lives less than two miles south of Yazoo City, 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 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 N. -s v-i s. 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 96 1-7262. trunks or completely 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.

LeeJAichaeh Brian Albert BroomThe Clarion-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 FINE JKWEI.RY DISTINCTIVE GIFTS Northpark Mall, Ijuwer Level 957-6100 New Orleans Baton Kouge Shreveport Ufavette San Antonio Shop online: www.LMrJ.com It's her day to i I5 i Happy Mothers Day.