MTPockets
Well-known member
GAUTIER, Mississippi -- Two people suffered minor injuries and about 30 camper trailers were destroyed tonight in the Santa Maria RV Park on Martin Bluff Road by either a tornado or straight-line winds, according to Gautier Police Capt. Jerry Cooksey.
"We're still searching trailer to trailer," Cooksey said. "The campers were flipped, some were torn apart or mangled. They were all destroyed."
"It was caused by very strong winds. We don't know whether it was a tornado or straight line winds at this point."
The damage occurred about 8 p.m. as a strong line of thunderstorms moved through Jackson County.
"A lot of people who lived there were at work," Cooksey said. "There were very few people there. A lot of the people were gone or this could have been much worse."
Robert Ricks, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in New Orleans, said a survey team will be sent to Gautier Tuesday morning to inspect the damage.
"Our preliminary belief is that it was caused by straight-line winds but we want to make sure of that and make sure everybody agrees on that," Ricks said.
The NWS issued a special weather statement at 7:31, indicating severe winds of up to 50 mph were possible in Gautier.
"It looks like that's what we got between 7:50 and 8," Ricks said. "There were some RVs flipped over and there was also damage on the other side of the river with some trees down."
"We're still searching trailer to trailer," Cooksey said. "The campers were flipped, some were torn apart or mangled. They were all destroyed."
"It was caused by very strong winds. We don't know whether it was a tornado or straight line winds at this point."
The damage occurred about 8 p.m. as a strong line of thunderstorms moved through Jackson County.
"A lot of people who lived there were at work," Cooksey said. "There were very few people there. A lot of the people were gone or this could have been much worse."
Robert Ricks, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in New Orleans, said a survey team will be sent to Gautier Tuesday morning to inspect the damage.
"Our preliminary belief is that it was caused by straight-line winds but we want to make sure of that and make sure everybody agrees on that," Ricks said.
The NWS issued a special weather statement at 7:31, indicating severe winds of up to 50 mph were possible in Gautier.
"It looks like that's what we got between 7:50 and 8," Ricks said. "There were some RVs flipped over and there was also damage on the other side of the river with some trees down."
