2015 — Dec 23, Storms and Tornadoes, AR (1 death) MS (10 deaths) and TN (6) — 17
–17 Blanchard tally of State breakouts below.
–15 AccuWeather. “15 killed as tornadoes rip across southern US days before Christmas.” 12-27-2015.
Arkansas ( 1)
— 1 Atkins, Dec 23. Machaela Remus, 18; tree crashed into her bedroom; house on Hwy. 247.[1]
Mississippi (10)
–10 AFP. “US death toll at 43 as wild weather tears across central states.” 12-28-2015.
–10 Clarion-Ledger. “Damage from predawn storm in Miss.” 12-26-2015, 12-28-2015 update.
–10 WMCActionNews5.com. “MEMA: 2 missing people found dead…” 12-23-2015.
Breakout of Mississippi Fatalities by Locality:
— 6 Benton County, Dec 23. (According to Mississippi Emer. Mgmt. Agency, Dec 26.)
—>5 Benton County, Ashland. WMCActionNews5.com (Memphis, TN). “MEMA…”).[2]
— 4 Benton County, Dec 23. Citing Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.[3]
— 2 Benton County, Dec 23. Max Croxton, 69, and wife, Ellen Croxton, 67.[4]
— 2 Lamar Dec 23. William Crawford, 67, Patricia Williams, 58, neighbors, same st.[5]
— 1 Lamar, County Church Road, Dec 23. Michael A. Nunnally, 47.[6]
–1 Coahoma County. Helsel/AP. “Death Toll From Southern Storms Rises…15.” 12-25-2015.[7]
–2 Marshall Co, Dec 23. Weather Channel. “Death Toll Climbs to 14 after Tornado…”[8]
–1 Marshall County, Holly Springs. Boy, 7, in van with his family, Highway 7.[9]
–1 Marshall County. Female who died “as a result of injuries related to the storm.”[10]
–1 Tippah County, Dec 23. (According to Mississippi Emer. Mgmt. Agency, Dec 26.)[11]
–1 Walnut. Female (Marieke McClure), 61, found near Benton Co. line near Hwy. 72.[12]
Tennessee ( 6)
–6 State. AP. “The Latest, South Storms: 3 more deaths confirmed; 14 total.” 12-24-2015.
–3 Maury Co., found Dec 24, submerged car in Maury County creek. 2 males, 17, female, 16.[13]
–2 Perry Co., Dec 23. Male, 70, and female, 69. Weather Channel. “Death Toll Climbs…”[14]
–1 Rhea Co., Dec 23. Male, 22. Weather Channel. “Death Toll Climbs to 14…” 12-24-2015.
Narrative Information
Mississippi
Dec 23, WMCActionNews5.com: “Memphis, TN (WMC) — At least 16 people were killed and over 50 injured across three states in Wednesday’s deadly storms. Ten died in Mississippi. Overall, at least 17 tornadoes touched down in the WMC Action News 5 viewing area. The hardest hit areas are Holly Springs, Ashland and Clarksdale. MEMA said all missing people were accounted for as of Saturday morning. The storms that ripped through northern Mississippi have been given a preliminary categorization by the National Weather Service as EF-3, leaving 151 miles of devastation in the state….
“Marshall County: MEMA confirmed two people died in Marshall County, Mississippi, following severe storms that ripped through the state Wednesday night. A 7-year-old child was killed in Holly Springs, Mississippi, when a tornado swept through the area. Nicholas Pulmroy, 7 years old, was killed during the storm while in a vehicle. Pulmroy’s mother, father, and younger sister are recovering from injuries in the hospital…. Thursday morning, the sheriff confirmed that a woman also died as a result of injuries related to the storm….
“In the Collins Circle area, south of Holly Springs, rescue workers had to cut their way into the community in order to respond to people who were trapped or injured in their homes.
“Benton County: MEMA confirms at least five people died as a result of the storms in Ashland, MS. One victim was taken to Magnolia Hospital and died from injuries caused by the storm.
“Michael A. Nunnally, 47, of County Church Road in Lamar was residing at the same home as two other victims. He was missing for several days. MEMA said his body was found early Saturday morning.
“MEMA said a search and rescue team of about 50 to 60 people found Nunnally and another missing woman, Tasha Brown….” “Friday, an elderly female was found dead in Walnut, MS, near the Benton County line near Highway 72.
(WMCActionNews5.com (Memphis, TN). “MEMA: 2 missing people found dead in Benton County.” 12-23-2015, updated 12-28-2015.)
Dec 27, AccuWeather: “….The bodies of two people missing since Wednesday have been found, said Mississippi Emergency Management Agency spokesman Greg Flynn, bringing the state’s storm death toll to 10.” (AccuWeather (Katy Galimberti). “15 killed as tornadoes rip across southern US days before Christmas.” 12-27-2015.)
Dec 28, AFP: “….In nearby Mississippi, where Governor Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency to deal with flooding, “severe storms” are forecast through Monday, the state Emergency Management Agency said. The agency also reported 10 storm-related deaths.” (AFP (Agence France-Presse), Laura Buckman. “US death toll at 43 as wild weather tears across central states.” 12-28-2015.)
Sources
ABC7 KATV (Sarah Chaffin), Little Rock. “18-year-old woman killed during Arkansas storms identified.” 12-23-2015. Accessed 12-26-2015: http://katv.com/news/local/1-killed-after-tree-falls-on-house-in-pope-co
AccuWeather (Katy Galimberti). “15 killed as tornadoes rip across southern US days before Christmas.” 12-27-2015. Accessed 12-27-2015: http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/tornado-photos-damage-southeast-mississippi-tennessee/54388401
AFP (Agence France-Presse), Laura Buckman. “US death toll at 43 as wild weather tears across central states.” 12-28-2015. Accessed 12-28-2015 at: http://news.yahoo.com/texas-tornadoes-kill-11-wild-weather-lashes-us-173316877.html
Associated Press, Holly Springs, MS. “The Latest: 3 more deaths confirmed in Tennessee, bringing total in South holiday storms to 14.” U.S. News & World Report, 12-24-2015. Accessed 12-28-2015 at: http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2015-12-24/the-latest-south-storms-3-more-deaths-confirmed-14-total
Associated Press. “The Latest: Alabama pastor finds church collapsed in storm.” 12-25-2015. Accessed 12-29-2015 at: http://www.wsbradio.com/ap/ap/top-news/the-latest-authorities-say-3-bodies-found-in-subme/nprYs/
Associated Press. “The Latest, South Storms: 3 more deaths confirmed; 14 total.” 12-24-2015. Accessed 12-28-2015 at: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/the-latest-dead-in-south-storms-some-names-released/article_f6ad4821-146e-5c42-8055-efba135b3b9f.html
Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS. “Damage from predawn storm in Miss.” 12-26-2015, 12-28-2015 update. Accessed 12-28-2015 at: http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/12/25/mississippi-christmas-day-severe-weather/77904088/
Helsel, Phil and The Associated Press. “Death Toll From Southern Storms Rises to at Least 15.” NBC News, 12-25-2015. Accessed 12-26-2015: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/weather/more-victims-mississippi-tennessee-storms-id-d-cleanup-continues-n485936
Southern Sentinel (Kedrick Storey), Ripley, MS. “Two more storm deaths confirmed in Benton County.” 12-27-2015. Accessed 12-28-2015 at: http://southern-sentinel.com/2015/12/27/two-more-storm-deaths-confirmed-in-benton-county/
Southern Sentinel (Kedrick Storey), Ripley, MS. “Update: Three Forks tornado leaves one dead.” 12-27-2015. Accessed 12-28-2015: http://southern-sentinel.com/2015/12/25/update-three-forks-tornado-leaves-one-dead/
Weather Channel. “Death Toll Climbs to 14 after Tornado Outbreak; Heavy Rain Causes Flooding, Mudslides and Road Closures Across the South.” 12-24-2015. Accessed 12-26-2015 at: http://www.weather.com/travel/commuter-conditions/news/southern-severe-weather-flooding-impacts
WMCActionNews5.com (Memphis, TN). “MEMA: 2 missing people found dead in Benton County.” 12-23-2015, updated 12-28-2015. Accessed 12-28-2015 at: http://www.kait8.com/story/30820440/4-dead-countless-injured-massive-destruction-after-storms-in-ms
[1] Helsel, Phil and Assoc. Press. “Death Toll From Southern Storms Rises to at Least 15.” NBC News, 12-25-2015. Date is from: ABC7 KATV (Sarah Chaffin), Little Rock. “18-year-old woman killed during Arkansas storms identified.” 12-23-2015. Story cites the Pope County Sheriff’s Office for identification. Writes that “a friend of Remus said Remus died protecting her sister [18-months], and shielded the child as the tree crashed down.
[2] Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS. “Damage from predawn storm in Miss.” 12-26-2015, 12-28-2015 update. We highlight in yellow in that we do not use this figure in our tally of Mississippi deaths. Though we have been able to locate only five deaths, we note that multiple reports have the MS total at ten. If there was one death in Coahoma County, two in Marshall County, and one in Tippah, then six deaths in Benton would add to a total of ten.
[3] Associated Press, Holly Springs, MS. “The Latest: 3 more deaths confirmed in Tennessee, bringing total in South holiday storms to 14.” U.S. News & World Report, 12-24-2015. Later reports have the total as 5-6 fatalities.
[4] AP, Holly Springs, MS. “The Latest: 3 more deaths confirmed in Tennessee, bringing total in South holiday storms to 14.” U.S. News & World Report, 12-24-2015. Faulkner is in Tippah County, but the deaths are repeatedly reported as Benton County fatalities, with one news source noting “Four Benton County residents died on Wednesday. According to Sheriff A. A. McMullen, they were identified as Max Croxton, 69, and his wife Ellen Croxton, 67, who reportedly have a Falkner address; and William E. Crawford, 67, and Patricia G. Williams, 58, both of Lamar.” (Southern Sentinel (Kedrick Storey), Ripley, MS. “Two more storm deaths confirmed in Benton County.” 12-27-2015.)
[5] Associated Press, Holly Springs, MS. “The Latest: 3 more deaths confirmed in Tennessee, bringing total in South holiday storms to 14.” U.S. News & World Report, 12-24-2015.
[6] Notes he was residing at the same home as two other victims. WMCActionNews5.com (Memphis, TN). “MEMA: 2 missing people found dead in Benton County.” 12-23-2015, updated 12-28-2015.
[7] Another AP report notes “In a statement Friday [Dec 25] evening, the agency [MS EMA] said Coahoma County has now reported one death…” (AP. “The Latest: Alabama pastor finds church collapsed in storm.” 12-25-2015.)
[8] Cites “Official in Mississippi” who “confirmed” two fatalities in Marshall County “in connection with the severe weather that swept through the area.”
[9] Helsel, Phil and Assoc. Press. “Death Toll From Southern Storms Rises to at Least 15.” NBC News, 12-25-2015. Identifies victim as Nicolas Pulmory.
[10] WMCActionNews5.com (Memphis, TN). “MEMA: 2 missing people found dead in Benton County.” 12-23-2015, updated 12-28-2015. Cites the Marshall County sheriff for this information.
[11] Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, MS. “Damage from predawn storm in Miss.” 12-26-2015, 12-28-2015 update.
[12] WMCActionNews5.com (Memphis, TN). “MEMA: 2 missing people found dead in Benton County.” 12-23-2015, updated 12-28-2015. Also: Weather Channel. “Death Toll Climbs to 14 after Tornado…” The identification of the last name as Marieke McClure, and her age is from: Southern Sentinel (Kedrick Storey), Ripley, MS. “Update: Three Forks tornado leaves one dead.” 12-27-2015.
[13] Helsel, Phil and Assoc. Press. “Death Toll From Southern Storms Rises to at Least 15.” NBC News, 12-25-2015.
[14] Another source identifies victims as Antonio Yzaguirre, 70 and wife, Annie Yzaguirre, 69.