A strong line of thunderstorms blew through the area Thursday morning, briefly causing warning sirens to sound in Poplarville with concern of a possible tornado, but no official sighting had been announced.

WLOX-TV in Gulfport broke into regular programming to announce that the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for north and central Pearl River County until approximately 10-10:30 a.m. The weather system was reported to be moving northeast from the Bogalusa area toward Baxterville in Lamar County.

Calls shortly after 10 a.m. by The Poplarville Democrat to city fire, police, the city hall and county emergency management produced no reports of sightings or damage in the immediate city area.

Carolyn Nelson of the Pearl River County Emergency Management Agency said Slidell weather reported straight line winds with slight rotation in the Crossroads area, but no actual tornado touchdown.

There were unnconfirmed reports of limbs and other natural debris west of Poplarville in the Crossroads area and along Hilt-Fornea Road were received. Also, a tree fell and landed on a house on South Steele Avenue in Picayune.

Also, at about 10:45 a.m. Thursday reports were received that there had been a power outage in the Silver Run area in southeast Pearl River County.

Amy Loller, representative for Coast Electric Power Association, said more than 3,500 homes in the counties of Hancock, Harrison and Pearl River were reporting no power Thursday morning, with more than 2,000 of those homes in the Derby and McNeill areas.

A representative for Mississippi Power said no power outages were reported in their Pearl River County service area during and immediately following the storm.

Contributions to this story were made by Amanda Miller, Item Staff Writer.