In this aerial view, people attempt to salvage what they can from a destroyed dwelling after a tornado struck on June 19, 2023, in Louin, Mississippi. Multiple confirmed tornadoes in Mississippi overnight left at least one person killed and 25 injured during the storms. MICHAEL DEMOCKER/GETTY IMAGES
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At least one fatality and numerous injuries have been reported after a confirmed tornado caused catastrophic damage in the small, central Mississippi town of Louin.
Located about 55 miles southeast of Jackson, Mississippi, Louin is a small town made up of 275 people. At least one person died and 20 people were injured, according to Becky Collins, the vice president of marketing and community relations at South Central Regional Medical Center, which is roughly a 45-minute drive from Louin.
Collins told AccuWeather that of the 20 people who suffered injuries, most of them are in stable condition and some have already been discharged from the hospital.
Storm Chaser Brandon Clement was one of the first to reach the scene of the damage. Clement shared videos of first responders and volunteers working together to rescue people from the rubble.
“First responders and volunteers did amazing rescuing people,” Clement wrote in a Twitter post. “At one point, they ran out of ambulances and started using a Humvee to transport injured to the hospital.”
As the sun rose on Monday, the full extent of the damage could be seen. In a drone video shared by Clement, several homes were missing roofs, trees were ripped apart and knocked over and debris was strewn about.
In addition to the homes that were damaged in Louin, a chicken farm also sustained substantial impacts. Video from Clement showed hundreds of chickens in rows where their homes once stood. Feed silos were knocked over and trees surrounding the property were snapped in half.
As a rotating thunderstorm approached the town of Louin, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado warning for the storm at 11:16 p.m. CDT on Sunday. Roughly 15 minutes later, the NWS confirmed the tornado was on the ground and urged residents to seek shelter.
As of 7:50 a.m. CDT Monday, 49,000 customers were without power in Central Mississippi, according to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.
Produced in association with AccuWeather
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