Deadly tornado tears through Mississippi as record-breaking heat bakes the South
Written by ABC Audio All Rights Reserved on June 19, 2023
(NEW YORK) — One person has been killed and 18 others injured from severe storms, including a reported tornado, in Jasper County, Mississippi, officials said.
Twenty to 30 homes were “majorly affected or destroyed,” Hudson Jenkins, director of Jasper County Emergency Management, told ABC News.
The reported twister in Jasper County was one of 17 tornadoes reported over the weekend across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Oregon and Colorado.
More severe weather is expected Monday from New Orleans to Columbus, Georgia, to Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida. Damaging winds will be the biggest threat, but a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out
Meanwhile, record-high temperatures are baking the South.
Over the weekend, a record high of 111 degrees was hit in Del Rio, Texas, while New Iberia, Louisiana, tied its record high of 97 degrees.
On Monday, the heat index — what the temperature feels like with humidity — is forecast to reach 107 degrees in New Orleans, 113 degrees in Houston and a scorching 117 degrees in Austin, Texas.
This dangerous heat will continue through Wednesday.
Click here for tips on how to stay safe in the heat.
ABC News’ Victoria Arancio contributed to this report.
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