FIRST ALERT: Storm damage reported in multiple Pine Belt counties

PINE BELT (WDAM) - Strong storms and tornadoes swept through Mississippi on Monday, causing destruction in several counties.

In the Pine Belt, WDAM has received reports of damage in parts of Marion, Lamar and Jones counties.

We received several pictures and videos of a tornado as it moved through the Columbia and Foxworth area Monday afternoon.

Columbia Mayor Justin McKenzie said at least 10 to 12 buildings in the city were severely damaged. Officials reported at least three injuries in Columbia but no deaths.

McKenzie asked people in Columbia to stay home and allow first responders to do their jobs.He also had a strong message for anyone caught looting in the city.

“If you’re caught looting or attempting to loot, you will go to jail,” McKenzie said. “That’s a promise. There’s one thing that we will not tolerate tonight, and that’s any type of looting.”

In Lamar County, Board of Supervisors President Joe Bounds has declared a local state of emergency due to the storms, according to county administrator County Administrator Jody Waits.

Emergency management officials confirmed seven women were taken to the hospital after a group home in Sumrall was damaged by the storms.

Laurel Police Chief Tommy Cox said some areas of the city received significant damage and asked anyone without official business to stay home and off the streets. There was damage reported behind the Super 8 hotel on 16th Avenue.

As of Tuesday morning, there are still a few power outages in the Pine Belt.

[Power outages reported in the Pine Belt]

Mississippi Power crew members are working to restore power in Laurel on 16th Avenue.

Some school districts in the Pine Belt have announced closures for Tuesday due to the storms.

Shelters have opened in Forrest, Lamar, Jones and Wayne counties for those who need a safe place to ride out the storms.

• Jones County will open its safe room at 1424 Ellisville Blvd in Laurel at 2 p.m. and remain open until the threat of severe weather has passed.
• Forrest County will open its safe room at 946 Sullivan Drive in Hattiesburg. It will remain open until the threat for severe weather has passed.
• Lamar County will open its storm shelter at 105 Central Industrial Row in Purvis at 4 p.m. and remain open until the severe weather has passed.
• Wayne County will open the courtroom at the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department at 613 Court Street in Waynesboro as a safe place to ride out the storm.

Have your NOAA Weather Radio programmed with fully-charged batteries available for it. If you must travel, make sure to check the weather conditions, watches, warnings, and advisories before venturing out the door. Review your Severe Weather Plan and know what you would do if a severe storm or tornado was near you. If you don’t feel comfortable riding out a storm where you live, make a plan regarding when you would leave your home and where you would go. Also, download the WDAM Weather App so, if the power goes out, you still have access to live, streaming coverage of any updates about the weather.

Take the same tools the WDAM First Alert Weather team uses with you anywhere you go. Download the WDAM First Alert Weather app today for real-time interactive radar, location-based severe weather alerts and a constantly updated forecast for wherever you are.

Plan your day with an hour-by-hour forecast tailored for home, work or anywhere on-the-go. Our WDAM First Alert Weather app can tell you if a storm near you has hail, strong winds or rotation.

Here are some more features of the WDAM First Alert Weather app:

• Storm Tracks: See at a glance where a storm is and where it is headed
• Multiple Alerts: Turn on alerts for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, floods, tropical storms/hurricanes, winter storms and more
• Live severe weather coverage: Watch our live stream for continuously updated information when severe weather strikes
• Updated forecasts from the {weather team brand} forecast center
• Weather pictures and video sent by people who live near you
• A constantly updated 10-day forecast, so your weekend is always in view

The WDAM First Alert Weather App is free in the Android and Apple app stores, part of the WDAM First Alert commitment to help keep you safe.

Apple users can download the app here. Android users can download the app here.

If your home or community is damaged in the storms, contact your county’s Emergency Management Agency here.

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