Winona struggles without electricity, water after deadly tornado strikes Mississippi town
WINONA — Residents remained without power Monday in Winona, and many were without water three days after an EF-3 tornado touched down.
Water, food, clothing and cleaning supplies were distributed at areas around the city.
Sgt. Shyan Hicks with the Salvation Army of Greenwood said the organization has been in Winona since Saturday to serve hot meals to residents there. Other Salvation Army units were deployed from Louisiana and Alabama.
Hicks said she and her husband served 300 to 400 meals a day over the weekend.
"Today we served probably close to a thousand meals," Hicks said. "The numbers increase each day."
The Salvation Army team will stay for as long as needed, she said.
"Normally, the day after it strikes or even before it strikes we're driving in to ride out the storm," Hicks said.
Linemen with Hattiesburg's Chain Electric were in Winona's storm-damaged areas, working to restore power as quickly as possible.
Winona had been under scrutiny just days before when an animal control officer euthanized several dogs by gunshot, drawing local and regional ire. The officer and the police chief were later suspended,
In the Summerfield area, three members of one family were killed when their mobile home was picked up and torn apart by the tornado's powerful winds. A fourth was seriously injured.
The victims were identified as 54-year-old schoolteacher Helen Munford, her husband, 51-year-old Danny Munford, and 14-year-old son JaDarrion Murphy. JaDarrion's twin brother, LaDarrion Murphy was the family's lone survivor.
"She was a member of my church," Winona Ward 3 Alderwoman Sylvia Clark said.
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The Winona tornado was at its strongest near the Black Hawk community in nearby Carroll County, with an intensity of around 155 mph.
Black Hawk Independent Church, the historic Blackhawk School and parsonage were completely destroyed, according to a damage survey by the National Weather Service in Jackson.
Both the school and church had stood for nearly 100 years, the report said.
She said the Board of Aldermen held a special-called meeting to allow the city to seek federal and state assistance to help with recovery efforts.
The tornado cut a path nearly 30 miles long and was seven-tenths of mile wide near Winona.
Clarion Ledger reporter Joshua Williams contributed to this story.
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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Winona MS residents begin recovery after EF-3 tornado
