Fox News Today:
A trail of reported tornados broke out across Louisiana and Mississippi Monday afternoon, damaging homes and churches and killing at least one person, local officials say.
Forecasters said radar showed possible twisters as the “widespread” weather system charged across the region. The Storm Prediction Center reported trees were broken or toppled in parts of Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Vernon Parish Chief Deputy Calvin Turner has confirmed at least one death after what appeared to be a large tornado left a path of destruction.
“We’ve got damage at lots of places. We’ve got a church where the fellowship hall is torn all to pieces. Some homes are hit. Right now we’re having trouble just getting to places because of tress that are down,” said Turner.
Damage also was reported about 25 miles away in DeRidder.
Entergy Mississippi, an electric utility company, reported more than 2,000 power outages in the state, concentrated mostly west of Jackson along the path of a storm where a tornado was spotted.
Forecasters said an area of northeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi – where about 1 million people live – had a moderate chance of dangerous weather. A tornado watch was issued from east Texas through Louisiana into central Mississippi and southern Arkansas.
Also Read: Philippines earthquake pegged at magnitude 6.9; collapse of 3-story building reported
A lesser threat, meanwhile, extended into Alabama, western Georgia, the western Florida Panhandle and Tennessee as storms moved eastward, according to forecasters.
Students throughout Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi were dismissed early, while schools canceled afternoon events and activities as a precaution because of the weather threat.
Forecasters said tornadoes, hail and winds blowing at 70 mph posed the greatest threat as a cold front moved across the region in an easterly direction. Storms that are predicted to begin in the west could last until early Tuesday in the region’s east, forecasters said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.