At least seven people have died after the passage of a tornado Mississippileaving a trail of destruction as it spread across the Midwest.
The powerful tornado tore through the region Friday night, causing widespread damage, including downing power lines that left thousands of people in the dark.
More than 30 million people were under a tornado warning overnight and warned to prepare for 135 mph storms that would bring golf ball-sized hail.
The devastation prompted authorities to warn that those in its path are in a “life-threatening situation.”
The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado touched down in the rural towns of Silver City and Rolling Fork around 8:50 p.m., and they reported severe destruction.
Search and rescue teams were deployed to Sharkey County, Mississippi after a severe storm hit the community.
Severe damage has been reported in the town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, after the tornado leveled homes and businesses.
A home in Sharkey County is seen vandalized Friday night after the tornado ripped through the area.
Another house has its roof torn off after devastating winds and lightning on Friday.
A line of severe thunderstorms moves south during the afternoon and evening hours, especially in parts of the lower Mississippi Valley.
The tornado has left a trail of damage at least 100 miles long and is reportedly heading toward Alabama. More than 84,000 customers had lost power in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee as of Friday night, according to poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service issued an urgent alert after the tornado touched down, warning, “To protect your life, take cover now.”
“You are in a situation that endangers your life,” he warned. ‘Flying debris can be deadly for those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be destroyed. Considerable damage to homes, businesses and vehicles is likely, and total destruction is possible.’
Search and rescue teams were deployed to Sharkey and Humphreys counties in Mississippi while first responders were forced to disperse injured victims to surrounding hospitals after Sharkey-Issaquena Community Hospital sustained significant damage.
Mississippi resident Corney Knight told the Associated Press that he, his wife and their 3-year-old daughter were at a relative’s home when the tornado struck, which he described as “eerily quiet” moments before.
He added that the sky was dark but “you could see the direction of every exploding transformer.”
More than half a dozen emergency shelters have been set up across Mississippi after the tornado leveled homes and businesses.
Significant damage has been seen in the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi
Meanwhile, cars were seen trying to flee the area and others regrouped after the tornado.
Some residents of the small town appeared to be in a daze after the carnage.
The skies over Pope, Mississippi looked especially threatening Friday night, where lightning could be seen.
Forecasters had been warning residents in parts of the Midwest and South on Friday that dangerously high winds would move through the region.
It was pitch black apart from a few flashes of energy in Anguilla, Mississippi when the tornado passed through
After the tornado first tore through the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, storm chaser Zachary Hill tweeted: ‘The damage in Rolling Fork, Mississippi is BAD. People are trapped, we need help here.
Authorities are stressing the urgency of the situation, and Hill said police begged him to deliver the message: “Major tornado damage, we need as many ambulances as possible and any help with search and rescue in this city.”
Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker said WLBT-TV the tornado left him unable to leave his home after it caused significant damage and downed power lines leading to his property.
“The west side of Rolling Fork is a residential area, and only a few houses have been completely destroyed,” added former Rolling Fork Mayor Fred Miller.
‘Highway 61, where most of our businesses are, all the businesses on 61 have been completely destroyed. People are stuck in a couple of restaurants, and people are trying to get them out now.
A tornado about a mile wide appeared to be crossing Mississippi from Anguilla to Silver City, Belzoni, and the Rolling Fork.
The National Weather Service warned that those in the path of the tornado are in a “life-threatening situation.”
Severe storms in the South Friday night could produce tornadoes
The tornado came after several Midwestern states were hit with a severe weather front, with southern Missouri hit with nearly three inches of rain Thursday night.
Torrential rains in the area killed two people after their car was swept away in the deluge. Authorities said six young adults were inside the vehicle, however only four escaped.
The body of Devon Holt, 20, of Grovespring, was found at 3:30 a.m., and the body of Alexander Roman-Ranelli, 19, of Springfield, was recovered about six hours later, Patrol Sgt. Missouri State Highway. said Thomas Young.
Reports indicate that a suspected tornado also touched down early Friday in North Texas, damaging homes and downing trees and power lines.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards warned of possible tornadoes hitting the state over the weekend, urging residents to prepare for significant damage.
As the tornado continued to wreak havoc in the state, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said in a tweet: “Many in MS Delta need your prayers and God’s protection tonight.”
“We have activated medical support, increasing more ambulances and other emergency resources for those affected. Search and rescue is active.
The storm system is being fueled by a dip in the jet stream that swept through California on Tuesday and Wednesday, sparking tornadoes there, including one that struck the downtown Los Angeles area, the first in the area since 1953.
A submerged red SUV is seen in flood waters on Old Ritchey Road in Granby, Missouri, early Friday. An elderly woman was rescued from the car.
A man trapped in a tree is rescued by rapid water crews from the Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District, and the Verde Valley Fire District in Camp Verde, Arizona. Several water rescues were reported in central and northern Arizona during the week.
Torrential rains caused backyards to flood in Bryant, Arkansas on Friday.
Backyards looked more like lakes after huge downpours.
A view from this weather satellite shows just how wide the storm appears to be over the south.