City declares State of Emergency after storms
One Mississippi person was injured and the city of Jackson is under a State of Emergency after strong storms moved through the state Thursday night into Friday morning leaving thousands without power.
Gov. Tate Reeves reported on social media platform X Friday morning that there was one injury reported in Thursday night's storms.
"As of now, 1 injury has been reported in Rankin County," Reeves wrote. "@MSEMA is currently assisting local emergency managers with damage assessments.
"Preliminary official reports indicate that homes were damaged in Lowndes and Rankin County. Additional damage will likely be reported as assessments continue."
Tornadoes investigated in Mississippi
According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, possible tornadoes in Clarke, Hinds and Lauderdale counties are currently being investigated.
"On radar there was a tornado debris signature," said Alan Campbell, NWS Jackson meteorologist. "It's a cursor that we're confident there was a tornado associated with that storm, but until we look at it we can't confirm.
"We have a crew out there in Lauderdale County looking at some damage there. It was a lot of trees and power lines down in that area. They're out there investigating, but we haven't heard back."
Jackson Mayor declares State of Emergency
Strong winds and resulting power outages disrupted the lives of Jackson residents. Many residents woke up to no power and it also affected water service.
Power was lost at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant and caused low water pressure. Residents were asked to conserve water. Due to the low water pressure and widespread power outages, Jackson Public Schools announced all schools were closed on Friday.
Once power was restored to the treatment plant, a boil-water advisory was issued.
A statement was later issued that Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba had declared a State of Emergency. According to the city's website, the State of Emergency will be reviewed every seven days until the emergency is no longer.
Thousands left without power
Wind was the key factor in the storms as it downed trees and power lines. According to PowerOutage.us, about 54,000 customers in Mississippi were without power as of about 6 a.m. As of 1 p.m. Friday, that number had dropped to just over 30,000.
"I know at the office we reported 62 miles per hour," Campbell said. "At Hawkins field they observed 59 miles per hour.
"There was definitely a swath of winds 50 to 70 miles per hour. I wouldn't be surprised if it was stronger than that in other spots."
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