JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Forty-seven years ago this week, an F-5 tornado roared through the South. In Mississippi, it decimated the Candlestick Park Shopping Center in south Jackson.
The damage was almost unimaginable. More than 55 people were killed and more than 500 were injured.
"Were it to go across that same area today it would have a lot more targets and a lot more people in the area of impact," said Jackson National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist Steve Wilkinson.
Jackson is more populated now. The twister would have traveled close to what is now The Stack and along Highway 25, in what was then a rural area of Rankin County, during rush hour traffic.
River Oaks and the Dogwood shopping area did not exist in Flowood in 1966 but if an EF-5 rolled through there the devastation could be catastrophic.
Weather tracking technology and communications have increased warning times significantly since the Candlestick Park tornado but that doesn't always mean residents are safer in a metropolitan area.
"While we talk about shelters, underground type things there are more that than there used to be but most people would not be able to take underground shelter," said Wilkinson.
Below ground is about your only option when escaping the direct hit of an EF-5 twister. However building storm shelters in an urban area is almost unheard of and most houses are not outfitted with a safe room, which can be $2-3,000 addition.
"If you have a garage they'll come and basically in your garage floor, reinforce that and give you a place to that you can go into. They can reinforce an existing bathroom or closet within you house. Those tend to be more expensive than putting in brand new ones in new construction," explained Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Spokesman Greg Flynn.
"If we had our way we'd make it mandatory that in new construction that a safe room be built in every house. It's something that if you're building a house you should make plans for," added Flynn.
More long-track tornadoes, those EF-4 or stronger and on the ground for at least a hundred miles, have slammed Mississippi and Alabama more than any other states. Meaning, it could be only a matter of time before the Metro is hit again.
"If you look at what happened in Hattiesburg a few weeks ago a very strong tornado just happened to go through a city. It could happen here too," said Wilkinson.
Experts say being prepared and taking action is the key to survival.
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