4-27-11 —     Storm damage was on everyone's mind last week, as strong winds,  

heavy rains, and hail swept through the southern portion of the  

United States with devastating results.

    While Wayne County experienced its share of storms several days last  

week, no serious damage was reported, according to Emergency  

Management Director Bubby Corder.

    Downed trees and power lines were both reported in Wayne County  

after a powerful thunderstorm came through on Wednesday, Apil 27.

    Corder noted the most serious damage was reported on Bambi Circle,  

where a tree fell on the roof of a home.

    Corder was at several sites looking at downed trees last Wednesday.  

He said all damage was from straight line winds and there were no  

tornadoes reported locally. There were also no injuries reported.

    Alabama and other southern states didn't fare so well. Hundreds of  

people lost their lives in the line of storms that swept through last  

Wednesday.

    "I think it spent all of its energy south of us before it got here,"  

said Corder.

    Wayne County was under a tornado warning on Wednesday morning for  

about 45 minutes or so, but the storm moved across the county rather  

quickly.

    Neighboring Pulaski County also sounded warning sirens on Wednesday  

morning, when winds took down trees and power lines there, especially  

in the Eubank and Woodstock areas.

    A barn in Pulaski County was completely destroyed by the wind,  

according to reports out of that county. Several roads were also  

blocked by trees and debris.

    The tornado outbreak is the worst in decades, leaving more than 300  

people dead.

    Last week's outbreak resulted in 164 tornado reports.

    Fourteen states had at least one tornado reported. Deaths were  

reported in six different states.

    There were 184 reports of hail, with the largest at 4 inches in  

diameter in Batesville, Miss.

    The strongest gust of wind was 113 miles per hour, which was  

reported in Bay, Ark. at the airport.