Destructive tornado hits 75 mile stretch of southern Mississippi

[Pathfinder]

Destructive tornado hits 75 mile stretch of southern Mississippi

wwltv.com
Posted on February 11, 2013 at 11:53 AM
Updated today at 12:35 PM

HATTIESBURG, Ms. - Thousands of Mississippi families are digging out Monday from a strong tornado that moved through the Hattiesburg area Sunday night.

It cut a path of destruction through nine counties, damaging six buildings on the University of Southern Mississippi campus, particularly the alumni hall.

The damage stretches across 75 miles of southern Mississippi.

Trees and power lines were downed, and a state of emergency was declared in the counties that sustained damage during the twister.

The National Weather Service said it was either a level two or level three tornado that touched down as a severe line of thundershowers moved through the area.

Emergency managers said so far they know of damage to 200 homes and buildings and 100 apartments.

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http://www.wwltv.com/news/tornado-190701061.html

 

[Emily]

Re: Destructive tornado hits 75 mile stretch of southern Mississippi

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/riveting-terrifying-chase-video-of-violent-hattiesburg-ms-tornado-no-deaths-a-miracle/2013/02/12/631f35e4-7528-11e2-95e4-6148e45d7adb_blog.html

Posted at 11:46 AM ET, 02/12/2013
Riveting, terrifying chase video of violent Hattiesburg, MS tornado; no deaths a miracle
By Jason Samenow

I?ve viewed a lot of tornado videos over the years, but footage of the fierce twister that ripped through Hattiesburg, Mississippi Sunday is the most dramatic and close-up I?ve seen.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HdmTpsyQinM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
(The commentary at times is a little much, so feel free to make liberal use of the mute button)

The EF-4 tornado injured at least 82 people but incredibly resulted in zero fatalities.

Steve Wilkinson, the warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in Jackson, MS which serves Hattiesburg, called the lack of deaths ?amazing.? He said warning lead times were 18 and 30 minutes in Lamar and Forrest counties (which run through the city), which is above the national average of 13 minutes. He added his office called a ?tornado emergency? - the highest level of alert reserved for confirmed tornadoes on the ground in highly populated areas.

Wilkinson credited ?outstanding? emergency management operations in Lamar and Forrest counties: both participate in the NWS? ?Storm Ready? voluntary program - which prepares communities for tornadoes...