On Friday night, severe storms and at least one tornado wreaked havoc in western Mississippi, resulting in the loss of at least 11 lives and causing extensive property damage, leaving thousands without power. The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado hit Silver City and Rolling Fork, which was described by a resident as completely destroyed after the storm's path of destruction. The tornado was recorded to have been moving at 50 mph as it passed over Rolling Fork around 8 p.m. CT. The same "large and destructive" tornado was also seen near Coila, with the National Weather Service issuing a tornado emergency warning for Rolling Fork, Silver City, and the nearby Anguilla.
In hard-hit Sharkey County, which is roughly 60 miles northwest of Jackson, at least eight fatalities were recorded, according to county coroner Angelia Easton. In Humphreys County, three others were killed, while at least two people are in critical condition, according to emergency management director Royce Steed. The storms caused power outages for over 100,000 homes and businesses across Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee as of 3:45 a.m. ET, with Alabama alone accounting for more than 50,000 of these outages. In Morgan County, Alabama, debris from the storm covered a stretch of about a mile, according to a tweet from the county's sheriff's office.
First responders had to rescue seven people who were trapped at a group home, as trees and power lines collapsed on homes. The sheriff's office also responded to an overturned trailer and camper with occupants trapped inside.