Severe Weather Strikes in Southeast, Injuries Reported

The Weather Channel

- ‎21 hours ago‎

Tornado reports in eastern Mississippi and western Alabama from a lone supercell thunderstorm on April 11, 2013. The severe side of Winter Storm Walda continued to create problems across the South on Thursday, with a reported tornado causing damage, ...

Tornado watch issued for PanhandleThe News Herald

Tornado Central

Classic Spring Storm Spawns Damaging Tornadoes

Published: Apr 12, 2013, 11:25 AM EDT weather.com

Friday is a day of clean up across several southern and midwestern states, after a classic spring storm spawned tornadoes and damaging thunderstorms.
Reports of damage and injuries came from the first tornado warning issued in the Southeast at around 12:00 noon local time on Thursday.
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Circled on the image is the tornado indicated on radar in Kemper County and Noxubee County in eastern Mississippi. (Image: Gibson Ridge)

A supercell thunderstorm spawned a tornado in eastern Mississippi, quickly developing a "tornado debris signature" on radar. According to local reports, widespread power outages were observed in DeKalb, Miss., after the storm moved through.
Emergency Managers in Kemper County confirmed one fatality near Liberty from the storm.
"We do know that we have one death being reported, and other injuries in Kemper County," said Greg Flynn, spokesperson for the Mississippi EMA. "We have structural damage and certainly goes without saying that we have power outages."
(MORE: Incredible Video of Mississippi Tornado)
As the storm tracked north, injuries were reported in Noxubee County, while power lines and trees were snapped near Macon, Miss.
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This tornado may have persisted continuously for at least one hour, 19 minutes over a distance of 55 to 60 miles from Kemper County, Miss., to western Pickens County, Ala.
Thursday's reported death raises the number of total deaths from tornadoes in the U.S. so far in 2013 to three. By this time last year there were 58 deaths attributed to tornadoes.
A weak tornado touched down just south of the Slidell airport in La. The tornado downed large trees and power lines. In addition, roof damage was reported to several houses in the area.

Wednesday's Damage

Families in Southeastern states won't be the only ones with a lot of clean up on their hands. Before stomping into Mississippi and Alabama Thursday, the system spawned at least four confirmed tornadoes in two states Wednesday
The National Weather Service confirms at least two tornadoes in Arkansas on Wednesday. At least 30 homes and businesses were damaged in Van Buren county. Five people were injured across the area.
Twisters also hit the St. Louis, Mo. metro area Wednesday. NWS says an EF-2 damaged homes, apartments and businesses in St. Charles County, and an EF-0 did minor damage in St. Louis.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

SLIDESHOW: Classic Spring Storm Spawns Tornadoes

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Kemper County, Miss.

The Contract Fabricators Inc. facility in Kemper County near DeKalb, Miss. is severely damaged after a tornado ripped through the area Thursday, April 11, 2013. A man who was working at the site was killed. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)