Strong storms down trees, power lines Thursday

Published 1:05 am Friday, April 19, 2019

 

NATCHEZ — Strong storms, including heavy wind, rain and possible tornadoes shook the Miss-Lou Thursday afternoon.

A tornado warning was issued in Adams County when weather radar reports showed a circular wind pattern crossing the Mississippi River from Vidalia into Natchez between 12:30 and 1 p.m. Thursday. That storm moved north of Natchez near Fayette, according to meteorological reports.

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David Cox, a Jackson National Weather Service meteorologist said winds in Natchez and Adams County reached up to 60 mph between 12:30 and 1 p.m. Thursday.

Fallen trees and power lines were reported in the northern part of Natchez at Airport, Steam Plant, Old Meadow and Airport roads, Cox said, though no tornadoes had been confirmed as of 5 p.m. Thursday.

The main concern of Adams County emergency response teams, officials said, included power outages and scattered fallen trees that blocked city and county roads.

Entergy Customer Service Manager Tim Runnels said approximately 3,800 power outages were recorded in Adams and Jefferson counties with scattered outages in the area of Gloster in Amite County.

In Natchez, four power poles were broken, Runnels said, adding that he predicted that most power outages would be back online in the city by 11 p.m. Thursday, with the exception of a few homes in the neighborhood around Raintree, Espero and Creek Bend roads behind Parkway Baptist Church on Seargent Prentiss Drive. Additional time would be needed to repair a broken transmission line in that neighborhood, Runnels said.

Entergy crews quickly responded to a power outage near Merit Health Natchez, Runnels said, as the hospital lost power from 12:55 p.m. until 3:20 p.m. Thursday.

Tim Houghton, acting Adams County Emergency Services public information officer, said an emergency generator supplied power to the hospital for the duration of the outage until the power was restored.

No injuries or structural damages were reported in Adams County as of Thursday evening, Houghton said.