Early in the morning on Jan. 21, southern Mississippi experienced some severe weather. With several injuries, structural damage and four fatalities, Forrest, Lamar and Perry counties suffered immensely.
Although a tornado struck Mississippi, 76 other tornadoes swept across the southeastern United States. States such as Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina also experienced tornadoes. Among the states, the cities of Hattiesburg and Petal received the most severe weather with an EF3 tornado.
Demolishing everything in its path, the tornado’s destruction ravaged homes, power lines, trees and even a private college. William Carey University faced significant damages to its campus including the dormitories, Tatum Court and Thomas Hall. Although some students declared minor injuries, no one was seriously hurt.
Reconstruction in both Hattiesburg and Petal is estimated to take anywhere from a couple months to a year. Although it has only been a week since the tornado hit, people from nearby locations have been coming together consistently to help in any way possible.
The Student Government Association of Jones County Junior College traveled to Petal on Jan. 24 with intentions of assisting those in need. Sonya Dykes, Mark Brown and Venture Church organized the relief event for local tornado victims. Sabrina Sagers, president of SGA, attended this event along with 15 other SGA members. Sagers described the situation as devastating.
“We kept driving through Petal and saw no damage, so I was really confused,” said Sagers. “Then all of a sudden, it was like a sea of blue tarps. I got to meet one older man and work at his home to clean trees. I also got to lead a prayer for him, which was really great. It was a good experience to show how fortunate we are as students!”
Although Petal and Hattiesburg have many months of clean up and repair to do, some residents were just thankful for what was left untouched. Steven Rogers, a sophomore at JCJC, expressed that grateful attitude when the winds and debris from the tornado, which was only one mile away, did not destroy his home.
“My mom came in my room around 3:30 a.m. and told me I needed to get in the hallway,” said Rogers. “My mom said she could actually hear the tornado, and it missed my house by a mile. The next few days I didn’t have power. All in all, I got to spend a lot of good time with my family.”
The areas of Hattiesburg and Petal have been greatly affected by the EF3 tornado. Rebuilding the cities will take time and hard work, but with everyone’s joined efforts, the Pine Belt will exceed its prior state.
by Karly Jones
