As cleanup and recovery efforts continue in the wake of the EF-4 tornado that touched down on April 19 in Lamar County, officials are asking residents to sort vegetative, construction items and appliances separately and away from power poles, mailboxes or other obstructions.
Lamar County Administrator Jody Waits said the next phase of cleanup is debris removal and disposal, with county forces currently organizing and cleaning up the right of way.
“Keep in mind that county resources cannot come onto private property,” he said. “If the citizens need help, they can reach out to Lamar County Emergency Management to help find a volunteer group. We also remind folks that we are still under the threat of COVID-19 and ask that they take all precautions as recommended by the (Centers for Disease Control) to keep from further spreading the virus.”
Residents are asked to separate debris into six categories. That includes electronics (televisions, computers), large appliances (refrigerators, air conditioners), hazardous waste (batteries, pesticides), vegetative debris (tree branches, logs), construction debris (building materials, furniture), and household garbage (discarded food, paper).
Debris should be placed curbside and should not block roadways, and residents are asked to not leave doors on appliances unsealed or unsecured.
The storm touched down at about 7:30 p.m. near the Pine Burr area in the eastern part of the county, and moved southwest across a large rural area heading into Purvis.
According to the National Weather Service in Jackson, the tornado had estimated winds of 170 miles per hour, a path length of 54.2 miles and a maximum path width of 1.25 miles.
No injuries or fatalities were reported.
“It seems like everybody listened to the media and to social media because they hunkered down and took shelter,” said James Smith, director of the Lamar County Emergency Management Agency. “We had about 70 people in the shelter here in Purvis at one time – that’s the most we’ve ever had.
