In a telephone interview conducted at 2:50 p.m. Sunday, Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said no more fatalities or injured persons have been discovered during searches conducted throughout Newton County in the wake of Saturday night's deadly tornado.

Copeland said searches continued Sunday in the fields around Lant's Feed and Lant's Bridal Garden, located at the intersection of Highway BB and Highway 43, north of Seneca.

Early Sunday morning at a press conference, Copeland confirmed that 12 fatalities in Newton County had been reported as a result of the storm. He also reported that 19 persons were transported by emergency personnel to area hospitals, but that several more may have traveled by car or private vehicle if injured.

Copeland said searches should be complete Sunday. Police dogs were present at the Lant's Feed and Lant's Bridal Garden location.

Copeland also said the damage in Newtonia, which has been reported in earlier postings on this Web site and in the print edition Sunday, is devastating.