(Reuters) - A strong tornado killed at least four people in southern Mississippi and left many others trapped in their homes after touching down in the hours before sunrise on Saturday, state officials said.
The tornado, which touched down at about 3:45 a.m. Central time, reduced some buildings to splinters, downed power lines and was strong enough to flip over cars, according to photographs shared by the City of Hattiesburg on its social media accounts.
At least four people were confirmed dead, according to the city, and many people were trapped in their houses, Glen Moore, the director of Forrest County Emergency Management, told a local ABC news affiliate.
About 45,000 people live in Hattiesburg, a city about 100 miles (160 km) north of New Orleans. Mayor Johnny DuPree declared a state of emergency, and residents were warned to stay off roads. Police and firefighters were going to door to door to rescue people, the city said.
Officials closed Interstate 59 north of Hattiesburg, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said.
Forecasters are predicting thunderstorms for the Hattiesburg area through Sunday morning, according to Accuweather.
Tornados were also spotted in Pike, Lee and Chambers counties in neighboring Alabama but there were no initial reports of damage. A tornado watch was in effect through east central and southeastern parts of the states.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen and Frank McGurty; Editing by Andrew Bolton and Franklin Paul)