JACKSON – A heavy storm system dumped five to seven inches of rain in areas of Mississippi, leaving officials concerned about flash flooding.
Daniel Lamb, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jackson, said the storm system was located early Wednesday in an area east of the Natchez Trace corridor and would move out of the state in the afternoon.
Some buildings have been damaged, but no deaths or injuries were immediately reported.
In Biloxi, police reported damage to trailers at the Cedar Lake Trailer Park. Police said at least one mobile home destroyed. No injuries were reported.
In Wiggins, Fire Chief Jody Hatten told The Sun Herald that trees and limbs damaged cars and blew shingles off about 10 homes along a two-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 49 northwest of town.
“A big oak fell in the middle of a home,” Hatten said. “The only bedroom that wasn”t damaged was the one with a 92-year-old woman, who was home alone. People self-evacuated or neighbors helped them out.”
He said power lines were down and about 200 homes are without electricity.
Flash flood warnings were in effect in southeast Mississippi, and watches were issued for much of central and southern areas.
“Flooding is going to persist in some areas for a few days as water filters down into the larger rivers and waterways,” Lamb said.
Lamb said there had been reports of tornadoes around the state. He said weather service storm survey teams would be out later Wednesday to assess the damage.
The Highway Patrol was urging motorists to watch for areas where roads were covered with water. Flooded roads were reported in southwest Mississippi and in east Mississippi”s Jasper and Newton counties.
According to law enforcement officials, streets were flooded in Lamar County, where Mississippi 13 was reportedly closed by the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
Rain swollen creeks and ditches were reported in Brookhaven and Monticello areas.
Brookhaven Police Chief Pap Henderson said a wrecker was needed to pull out a stranded motorist from a street that had flooded. Henderson said many streets in the city typically flood during heavy rains.
Hinds County officials said high winds caused some damage in the Utica and Terry areas but there were no injuries reported.
Nearly 5 inches of rain fell overnight, Forrest County Emergency Management Agency Director Terry Steed said Wednesday, but so far only minor street flooding has been spotted.
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