A 1923 Studebaker, left and a 1930 Chevrolet Paddy Wagon are exposed at Lawrence Motors along highway 50 in Columbus, Miss., after a tornado struck the area Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (AP Photo/Jim Lytle)
COLUMBUS, Miss. – A tornado smashed into a commercial district in the small Mississippi city of Columbus, shattering businesses as severe storms raked the South on a weekend of drenching rains and a rising flood threat.
The tornado that shatttered businesses the east Mississippi city was confirmed on radar, said meteorologist Anna Wolverton with the National Weather Service in Jackson. She told The Associated Press that experts would be headed Sunday to the city of about 23,000 people to gauge the tornado’s intensity.
There were no immediate reports of any deaths or injuries.
Elsewhere around the South, homes, highways, and bridges have been flooded or put out of commission by the heavy rains. News outlets report that water rescues have been performed in some Middle Tennessee counties. Flash flood warnings and watches remained in place throughout the South.
