JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Six fatalities were reported after severe storms moved through Mississippi on Saturday, March 15.

Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) said he signed a State of Emergency on Saturday in order to mobilize state assets and better support response and recovery efforts.

“I’m heartbroken by the destruction and loss of life caused by these storms. The state of Mississippi will continue to utilize every available resource to support our fellow Mississippians in need. We are committed to helping them rebuild. We’re here for the long haul. Please join me in praying for the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones during this difficult time,” he said.

According to the governor, the six deaths were reported in the following counties:

• Covington County – 1
• Jefferson Davis County – 2
• Walthall County – 3

According to Walthall County Emergency Management (EMA) Director Royce McKee, the three deaths in the county occurred near Darbun along Bethlehem Loop Road.

Reeves said three people are missing as of Saturday night – two from Covington County and one from Walthall County. The preliminary reports indicated that there were 29 injuries across the state, including 15 in Covington County, two in Jefferson Davis County, two in Pike County and 10 in Walthall County.

An apparent tornado was caught on camera moving through Walthall County on Saturday. A WJTV 12 News viewer shared a video of the storm. The storm damaged homes and knocked down trees in the Tylertown area.

Officials said at least 20 people were rescued after becoming trapped in debris, and many of them were injured.

“It was kind of really a hairy situation because it kept saying another one’s coming, another one’s coming. When I left my house right here, I went out the back road and when I came back, another storm had gone through. And so, I couldn’t get back to my house,” said Assistant Tylertown Fire Chief Les Lampton.

One of the hardest-hit areas in Tylertown was the Paradise Ranch Park, where several mobile homes and RVs were overturned, leaving at least three people injured.

“It’s totally devastated. I mean, you wouldn’t even recognize it. Total destruction is the best way to describe it,” said Walthall County Supervisor Roger Ginn, District 1.

For residents, the damage was hard to see.

“It’s breathtaking. I mean, just to be able to see all this destruction happening so quickly. I mean, it wasn’t just like, boom. And to see this. It’s breathtaking,” said Donald Burkes, who lives in Tylertown.

Officials said it will take time to clean up the damage. Neighbors are being asked to stay off the roads for now.

Entergy Mississippi reported 6,835 power outages, and Southern Pine reported 5,200 outages by Saturday evening. Dixie Electric officials said their crews have begun the power restoration process for more than 2,900 members.

There was also widespread damage in Taylorsville. The town is currently under a curfew from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. in order to allow crews time and space to clean up the damage.

In Taylorsville, a lost dog was found wandering the streets by a Texas storm chaser, who followed the storms all the way to Mississippi.

“We’ve been here a few hours. We originally saw a tube, a tornado, beautiful tube. And then within 30, 45 seconds, it got rain wrapped. Real quick, lost. Basically, any visibility you see in the rotation, broad rotation is beautiful,” said Danielle Berry, a storm chaser.

In Jones County, there were downed trees and power lines on the roadways. Officials with the Jones County Fire Council said a tree fell on a mobile home on Poole Creek Road. No injuries were reported.

Some of the storms also brought hail to parts of the state. The Rankin County Sheriff’s Office shared a video of hail falling in Puckett.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jackson, crews plan to conduct storm surveys on Sunday, March 16 in Issaquena, Sharkey, Washington, Humphreys, Carroll, Marion, Jefferson Davis, Covington and Smith counties.

According to Reeves, preliminary assessments indicate that 21 counties sustained storm damage. Those counties include: Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Covington, Grenada, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Lauderdale, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Newton, Pike, Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, and Walthall.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) encouraged residents who’ve sustained damage from this severe weather event to do the following:

• File an insurance claim.
• Take photos of the damage to the home.
• Report damage to county/MEMA via the self-report tool.

If citizens need something as a result of the storms, MEMA encourages them to contact their county emergency management agency. A list of contacts can be found here.