Tornadoes Strike Texas And Mississippi: 2 Dead, 6 Injured, Thousands Without Power

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A devastating series of tornadoes struck parts of Texas and Mississippi on Saturday (December 28), causing widespread destruction, killing at least two people, and leaving six others injured. The storm system, which included multiple tornadoes, damaged homes, flipped vehicles, and disrupted daily life as it moved eastward into Alabama early Sunday morning (December 29).

The tornadoes caused fatalities in both Texas and Mississippi. In Texas, one person was confirmed dead in the Liverpool area, located south of Houston. Four others sustained non-critical injuries, according to Madison Polston, a spokesperson for the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office. The storm also caused significant damage in multiple locations, including Hillcrest Village and Alvin, with at least 10 homes reported as damaged.

In Mississippi, one person lost their life in Adams County, and two others were injured in Franklin County, as confirmed by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). Tornadoes that hit Bude and Brandon in Mississippi caused extensive damage, including the tearing off of roofs from several buildings.

The National Weather Service's (NWS) severe storm tracker reported that the system, which first began affecting Texas on Saturday, was pushing eastward early Sunday through Alabama and into Georgia. At approximately 4 a.m. Sunday, the system was moving eastward, prompting the NWS to issue severe thunderstorm warnings for western Georgia and the northwestern tip of Florida, areas at risk of more tornadoes.

At least six tornadoes were confirmed to have struck the Houston area, and officials are still working to assess the full extent of the damage. The NWS reported that both tornadoes and straight-line winds caused significant destruction in several parts of the region, particularly in Katy and Porter Heights, north of Houston, where mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. In Porter Heights, a fire station's doors were blown in by the powerful winds.

The tornadoes also caused disruptions at Houston's two main airports, Bush Intercontinental and Hobby, where departure delays exceeded an hour on Saturday afternoon, according to FlightAware.

Mississippi faced significant power outages, with approximately 71,000 utility customers without power by Saturday afternoon, a number expected to rise as the storm system continued to move east. By Sunday morning, nearly 81,000 customers were still without power, down from 93,000 earlier in the day, according to PowerOutage.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency indicated that their priority was ensuring the safety of residents and making sure everyone was accounted for.“We anticipate more thorough damage assessments starting in the early morning hours,” said Malary White, the chief communications officer for the agency.

As the storm system moved into Alabama, the NWS issued overnight severe thunderstorm warnings for the southern part of the state, advising residents to seek shelter to avoid possible damaging winds up to 60 mph (96.5 km/h). The NWS also continued to monitor the potential for further tornado activity as the system moved eastward.

First responders in both Texas and Mississippi have been focused on rescue efforts and ensuring public safety. In Texas, authorities have been working to assess the damage and offer aid to those affected, while in Mississippi, officials have been gathering information on the scope of the devastation and coordinating recovery efforts.

As the storm system moves further east, residents in Georgia and Florida are urged to remain alert and prepared for severe weather conditions . The NWS continues to monitor the situation closely, and more updates will follow as damage assessments and recovery efforts unfold.

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