Small Miss. town damaged by possible tornado

[March 26, 2009]  MAGEE, Miss. (AP) -- A possible tornado struck at least one small town in southeastern Mississippi on Thursday morning, seriously damaging some homes and businesses and injuring residents.

"We had a tornado come through and it hit and came down. We have extensive damage west of Magee. I don't know a whole lot," said Stephanie Bryant, a dispatch supervisor with the Simpson County Sheriff's Department.

There were some injuries reported but she didn't not know how many or the extent. There were no immediate reports of fatalities.

Authorities and rescue crews were still responding to the damaged areas about 40 miles southeast of Jackson.

"We have sheriff's department there, police, anybody we can get out right now," Bryant said hurriedly.

There were other scattered reports of downed trees, power lines and damaged homes across southern Mississippi from a band of severe weather stretching across the Deep South.

Mayor Jimmy Clyde told NBC's "Today" show that the town was in "dire straits," with most of the roads blocked and power knocked out.

[Associated Press]

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