Good Morning,

So many folks were concerned about us and other rescues in Mississippi
and we thank you.

We are fine in Hernando. The hardest hit area is Yazoo City near
Jackson. A residential area was devastated and 12 have been confirmed
lost and hundreds are injured. So many folks are without their homes
as the tornado damage was extensive and most homes in the pathway were
flattened. Nothing left. The damage is at least 50 miles long and
somewhat wide. If you were not in the pathway of the tornado(s), the
wind and golf-ball sized hail did enough damage. Lots of flooding as
well in the lower areas. Thousands without power throughout different
areas of MS. There is much damage in many parts of north and middle MS.

I have two different foster homes in that area that I am desperate to
find word on their situation and my attempts so far to locate them have
been unsuccessful. There is absolutely no power or phone to the worst
hit areas.

Our church group is already there along with about eight other groups
assisting with food, water, bedding, and some medical aid as some
church members are RNs and other medical providers like therapists. The
Red Cross is there, of course. And the MS government is there as well.
In this area, we are well-versed in this type of severe weather during
the spring and early summer months. I sent a carrier and supplies just
in case.

The tornado destruction in middle MS was from Saturday's storm.
Tornadoes actually touched down.

The northwest part of MS stretching across to the eastern border and up
into TN saw major damage from two violent storms that came through on
Friday night. That is where we are and those are the two storms that we
were caught in the middle of. Strong winds, severe rain -- even hail. I
was concerned, of course, but decided to get my first group of kids out
at about 8 p.m. anyway and just play it by ear. They wanted out! Our
2-acre backyard butts into I-55 which goes all the way down to NOLA.
There was sirens going off everywhere but I really did not think they
were anything more the emergency sirens from ambulances, fire, and
police. Hear this all the time. Then I looked out and saw total
darkness all around us. Power outages including the lighting along the
interstate and the billboard which we can see from the kitchen window.
And then the fuzzits began acting weird and the cats disappeared. So, I
switched from the movie and tuned into a local news station and, OMG!
Our area was covered in dark red and purple and Doppler had spotted
three (yes three!!) tornadoes in the immediate area where I was. I
then realized the sirens I heard were the tornado warnings going off
in Hernando and Nesbit. Then it got kinda calm. I then heard what I
thought was a bullhorn speaker a block or two away (like the ones used
at football games) and went outside and heard a patrol car broadcasting
to take cover as tornadoes were in the area. ...Oh, fabulous! Grabbed
the remaining fuzzies that were still out and put them in their cages.
Found my cats and threw them into the lower floor bathroom. Pushed the
two Ferret Nation cages from the entertainment room into the ferret
room and pushed all of the cages to one side of the room and started to
cover them with sheets. Just waiting for the sound...and for the power
to go off. Flickered a few times, but we managed to stay on. Very
eery...but nothing much happened.

Later that night, it was confirmed that the three tornadoes had come in
from Tunica County, which is at the MS River and the River borders MS
and Arkansas. The system came up the bluff over Hernando (and my house
directly) and across into Tupelo and continued east and up into eastern
TN. But they never touched down. But they did form and moved directly
over the house.

 ....Now that's twice that has happened in three years. Isn't living in
the mid south fun.....!

Joe and I work opposite shifts so someone is usually home. He was at
the airport when the storms passed. This time, he did not see much
destruction. But the last time this happened, two people died in a
warehouse about a mile from where he was and he and the rest of the
crew took cover underground as the tornado passed near the hub, jumped,
and landed in another industrial area leveling many buildings.

Which reminds me, Joe and I still need to get that big generator (we
should really push that up the priority list a bit) and the small
refrigerator also is needed. We forget about these essential things
in the winter. This all reminded me we need a better plan.

We shelters and rescues in the south and in the Texas/Oklahoma tornado
alley need to carefully evaluate our plans and supplies/equipment for
the upcoming storm season. I know we do and this was a reminder to Joe
and I -- that we are not as prepared as we might like to think we are.

And we pray for our MS neighbors who lost so much on Saturday.

Maren Doshier
Raisins From Heaven Ferret Rescue & Sanctuary
Hernando, MS

[Posted in FML 6680]