Yalobusha Spared Major Damage In Wednesday’s Storm
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A strong thunderstorm tracked across the state last Wednesday, spawning high winds and 21 tornadoes in Mississippi. In Yalobusha County the first damage was reported just after 2 p.m. after the strong wind brought down a treetop, breaking a three-phase power line near Coffeeville and causing a grass fire. Fire fighters and crews with Tallahatchie Valley Power Association responded to clear the area and restore power to 347 meters.
– TVEPA Photo
WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha County was spared the brunt of damage from the strong storms that passed through the entire state last Wednesday. Yalobusha County EMA Director Stewart Spence and deputy director Jarred Logan reported that downed trees were reported in some areas of the county, with the most problematic areas in the vicinity of Tillatoba and Oakland.
“We had some trees down in the Water Valley area too,” Logan explained. “We had a few roads closed for over an hour,” he added.
Spence reported that the only damage to houses reported to the EMA office was a home in Oakland after a limb fell on the house and wind damage at a house in Water Valley.
There was widespread damage just north of Yalobusha County with the National Weather Service reporting an EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 107 MPH in Panola County. The agency’s preliminary reported stated the tornado touched down just west of I-55 in Pope at 4:37 p.m. and continued northwest for 16 miles causing widespread damage for 19 minutes. The hardest areas hit included portions of Hwy. 315, the Mt. Olivet Community and Central Academy and Coles Point as trees and utility poles were downed. A mobile home on Hwy. 6 was severely damaged, injuring one person.
Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association (TVEPA) reported that over 9,000 meters were without service in their coverage area following the storm. Although the power outages were scattered across the nine-county’s the association serves, thousands of meters were impacted by the tornado in Panola County. Crews worked around the clock from Wednesday night until Saturday at 6 p.m. when the restoration was completed. Crews from Tishomingo County Electric, Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. and C& L Electric Cooperative Corporation assisted with the power restoration.
