2 Tigers Recaptured After Tornado Hits Ga. Park

Two tigers that escaped from a wildlife animal park after a tornado ripped through southwest Georgia have been recaptured, authorities said Sunday.

According to a Facebook post by the Georgia Mutual Aid Group, the tornado touched down Sunday morning in West Point in Troup County along the Georgia-Alabama border. Five people reportedly were taken to hospitals with minor injuries. The Troup County Sheriff’s Department said in a Facebook post there were multiple reports of downed trees, damage to houses, and downed power lines.

The Wildlife Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, about 20 miles east of West Point, said in a Facebook post it sustained extensive damage from the tornado, although no animals or employees were injured. It said several animal enclosures were breeched, including one containing the tigers.

“Both have now been found, tranquilized, and safely returned to a secure enclosure,” the park said.

Two days earlier, a tornado swept through Mississippi, killing at least 25 people. The National Weather Service said severe storms and flash floods are possible Monday in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency on Sunday, allowing state resources to be made available to assist in affected areas. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency tweeted that “staff are on the ground and actively assisting communities impacted by the storms.”