Coronavirus-hit Mississippi, Louisiana, pounded by tornadoes, at least 8 dead

Mississippi and Louisiana—two states dealing with an increase of coronavirus cases—were hit Sunday with a deadly storm system that produced tornadoes that ripped through hundreds of homes and buildings, resulting in at least eight deaths.
Homes in Ouachita Parish, La., were "leveled" while families were inside sheltering in place over fears of the pandemic. The News-Star reported that officials in the area were forced to find temporary housing for those affected by the storms while trying to keep residents safe from the virus.
“Because of COVID-19, we are not looking at sheltering like we have in the past,” Shane Smiley, the Ouachita Parish Police Jury president, told the Monroe News-Star. “We are trying to work through this and see if we can secure hotel rooms. This is for anybody who is displaced. The reason being is we are trying to continue social distancing."
Strong storms pounded the Deep South on Sunday, killing at least eight people in south Mississippi and damaging up to 300 homes and other buildings in northern Louisiana.
One person killed was in Walthall County, two were killed in Lawrence County and three were killed in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director Greg Michel said. All three counties are more than an hour's drive south of Jackson, near the Louisiana state line.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency Sunday night after he said several tornadoes had struck the state.
"This is not how anyone wants to celebrate Easter," Reeves said on Twitter. "As we reflect on the death and resurrection on this Easter Sunday, we have faith that we will all rise together."
Mississippi has 2,781 confirmed coronavirus cases and 96 deaths. Louisiana has 20,595 cases and 840 deaths. Coronavirus complicated tornado preparedness, especially for people who must seek shelter with others.
The only way to slow the spread of the new coronavirus is to self-isolate. The only way to stay safe in a tornado is to shelter in a strong building, often a public one.
Jamie Mayo, the mayor of Monroe, La., told KNOE-TV that the storm damaged 200-300 homes in and around the city.
In northwest Louisiana, officials reported damage to dozens of homes in DeSoto and Webster parishes, according to news outlets.
In Morgan County, Alabama, a church roof and steeple were damaged by lightning Sunday afternoon, Morgan County Emergency Management Agency Eddie Hicks told AL.com. Shoals Creek Baptist Church in Priceville was struck by lightning Sunday afternoon. No injuries were reported.
WBMA-TV reported that strong winds damaged buildings and snapped trees in Walker County, Alabama, north of Birmingham.
The Associated Press contributed to this report