Jones, Marion County tornado victims identified

The four victims of the deadly storm that swept through the Pine Belt on Tuesday afternoon were identified this morning while thousands remain without power heading into the Christmas holiday weekend.

Marion County Coroner Norma Williamson said Amber Sumrall, 33, of Sandy Hook died after being trapped at Head-to-Toe beauty salon where she worked in the shopping center between U.S. 98 and Mississippi 198.

Williamson said Mary Sartin, 71, of the Wilks community died when the tornado hit the trailer park where she lived.

In Jones County, Leonardo Drummond, 45, and Josey White, 40, died at their residence when their home on Mullican Road in Laurel was destroyed.

“No one can prepare for this kind of scene, and at Christmas it is most especially difficult,” Jones County Sheriff Alex Hodge said. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends that lost loved ones, as well as to those that are spending this holiday having to rebuild and restore.”

The American Red Cross of South Mississippi opened a shelter for tornado victims at Mt. Carmel Church of God, 573 Mount Carmel Church Road in Foxworth.

Regional Communications Manager Marilyn Grossman said the organization had boots on the ground in both Marion and Jones counties.

“We’ve got disaster action team members lined up to be in Columbia and Jones County because we’ve been asked to assist with damage assessment,” she said. “We’ll know more about what the families and the communities need once we see what’s on the ground.”

Grossman said Red Cross also deployed emergency response vehicles to bring food and water to crews working the scenes.

Crews from Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association were working this morning to restore power to about 2,100 customers. The storm initially had knocked out power to about 4,100 customers, said PRVPA General Manager Randy Wallace.

Wallace said at least 100 utility poles will have to be replaced, particularly in hard-hit areas along U.S. 98, the Lakeview subdivision and area around East Marion High School.

“Many of the lines affected along Highway 98 are large, double-circuit lines that carry heavy loads,” Wallace said. “Those lines are more difficult to rebuild, but at least they are accessible. We know we also have lines down in more wooded, rural areas, which is why we have called in the tree trimmers to clear the way. We plan to make as much progress to full restoration as we can.”

Lamar County officials were out this morning assessing damage in the Sumrall area.

Emergency Management Administration Director James Smith said Kids Kampus day care center along Mississippi 42 was heavily damaged after losing its roof, and about a dozen homes in a neighborhood near the city’s elementary school had suffered much less damage.

“You’ve got some windows blown out, shingles off roofs, that sort of thing,” Smith said. “We haven’t had any reports of any trees in homes or anything like that. Other than the day care, what we’ve seen and heard has been relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.”