Residents of Louin, Mississippi, are picking up the pieces after multiple tornadoes descended upon the small town and its surrounding areas on Sunday. One death and nearly two dozen injuries have been reported, according to USA Today.
“Our community took a direct hit from a destructive storm [Sunday] night,” the Louin Volunteer Fire Department wrote on Facebook. “There are a lot of families out there that could use some prayers.”
“Assessments are showing approximately 380 structures with damage in Jackson County,” Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said on Twitter. “MEMA has sent 1,700 tarps to Jackson County and has executed a contract to also bring in shower trailers.”
I want to provide another update on the storms and tornadoes that impacted our state and the ongoing recovery efforts taking place.
Assessments are showing approximately 380 structures with damage in Jackson County. MEMA has sent 1,700 tarps to Jackson County and has executed a…
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) June 21, 2023
According to AccuWeather, the National Weather Service (NWS) has given the biggest twister to hit landfall in the Mississippi area a preliminary rating of EF3—meaning that the expected damage is categorized as severe—with an estimated wind speed of 150 mph. Though an EF3 tornado may not be catastrophic, high winds have the ability to cause significant injury.
Becky Collins, vice president of marketing and community relations at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, MS, said the hospital treated 20 storm victims from the Louin area, one of whom died.
“The other victims are stable and most have been discharged,” Collins said.
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Mississippians have already begun finding ways to support those affected by the storms. The city of Jackson has partnered with the Red Cross, the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition, and local churches to offer hot meals to those in need.