Easter Sunday storm fatalities in Mississippi climb to 14

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has confirmed another two deaths from the Easter Sunday tornadoes, bring the death toll to 14 in the state.

In a Twitter post around noon Thursday, MEMA said the two additional fatalities occurred in Walthall and Jones counties.

UPDATE: TWO additional fatalities have been confirmed in Walthall and Jones County, which brings the total number of confirmed deaths due to Sunday’s severe storms to 14.

— msema (@MSEMA) April 16, 2020

Counties reporting fatalities are:

• Carroll – 1 fatality
• Jefferson Davis – 4 fatalities
• Jones – 4 fatalities
• Lawrence – 2 fatalities
• Panola – 1 fatality
• Walthall – 2 fatalities

The two biggest tornadoes left devastation for miles on the ground. The first, an EF-4, started in Jefferson Davis County and tracked for about 68 miles. Its maximum width was at least two miles. The second, an EF-3, started in Lawrence County and continued for about 82.5 miles. Its maximum width was one mile.

Putting it into perspective, the widest tornado ever surveyed was the May 31, 2013 tornado near El Reno, Okla., at 2.6 miles wide, MEMA said.

The homes damaged in the storm number 1,206. Hardest hit were residents of Covington County, where 352 homes were damaged, and Jones County, where 328 homes were hit.

MEMA is continuing to assess the damage from the storms, and these numbers could change.