By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
Thunderstorms and high winds knocked down trees and powerlines around Lafayette County Wednesday as a cold front made its way into Mississippi.
A tornado warning was issued at about 5 p.m. for the eastern part of the county; however, there are no reports of a tornado touching down.
High winds toppled numerous trees which left some county residents without power for several hours.
North East Mississippi Electric Power Association and Oxford Utilities reported all power has been restored as of this morning.
Road crews were out until 2 a.m. Thursday morning to clear roads, according to Lafayette County Emergency Management Director Steve Quarles.
“The majority of the damage was on CR 113.ย There was a scattering of trees down other places — Harmontown, Old Sardis Rd, CR 377 (Anchor Community),” he said.
Quarles reported one tree fell on a county home, causing minor injuries to the homeowner.
Inside the city of Oxford, at least one tree fell on a home, reported by the Oxford Police Department; however, no one was injured.
Heavy rains caused some local roads to flood, including County Club Road and Price Street.
The threat of severe weather caused schools in Oxford and Lafayette County to dismiss early Wednesday and both city and county offices closed early Wednesday afternoon.
There were multiple reports of tornadoes in other areas of Mississippi as well as the Florida panhandle and Alabama as the storms moved east. At least two people were killed by a tornado in the Panhandle, according to the Weather Channel.
A tornado touched down in Jackson, knocking down a large tree near the Governor’s mansion, according to news reports.
This is a developing story. Hotty Toddy News will post updates as they become available.
