Tornado Outbreak Across the South Kills at Least 17

CBS News
Ujala Sehgal 172 Views Apr 16, 2011

Violent storms and some 30 tornadoes have ripped through the South over the past two days, bringing the death toll up to 17 in Arkansas, Alabama, and Oklahoma.

Cars were tossed, power lines were snapped, and, in Alabama, a mobile home was tossed nearly a quarter of a mile across a state highway, reports the Associated Press. In Jackson, Mississippi, an 18-wheel semi-trailer truck flipped over on I-20, shutting down the highway.

Six of the seven fatalities in Arkansas were caused when uprooted trees smashed into houses, National Weather Service meteorologist John Robinson told Reuters. Rescue crews found a 34-year-old woman in bed with her 7-year-old, whom she had apparently come to comfort during the overnight storm. The two were killed when a giant oak tree fell on the home.

Numerous power poles were also snapped in Jackson along the storm's path, leaving more than 23,400 customers without power, utility company Entergy Mississippi said.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley declared a state of emergency Friday after reports of tornadoes in at at least six counties. Mississippi Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin similarly ordered states of emergency Friday for 14 Mississippi counties and 26 Oklahoma counties, respectively.

The same weather system is expected to continue through Saturday when it moves into the Carolinas, Reuters reports. A video of the storms from Jackson, Mississippi is below.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at usehgal at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.

Related Articles   More by Ujala Sehgal

Op-ed Spotlight: Milton Friedman Saved Chile?

Photos Lost in the Tornadoes, Found on Facebook

Washington Monument: First Shaken, Now Wettish

 

Cy Vance Is Accused of Dropping Strauss-Kahn Case for Political Gain

Qaddafi Is Missing as Rebels Gain Control of Most of Tripoli

Elsewhere on the Web

User Comments

Please type your comment and click Post. If you’re not already logged in you will be prompted to log in or register

  • The Atlantic Wire on Twitter
  • The Atlantic Wire RSS Feed
  • The Atlantic Wire iPhone App