"Right now there are no fatalities, but there are a lot of injuries," said Amy Carruth, spokeswoman for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. "Most are scrapes, cuts and bruises, but we do have two people in critical condition."

Some of the injured were transported to a local hospital.

The tornado struck in the afternoon along highway U.S. 80, which runs through Newton's small downtown. A WalMart store and La-Z-Boy furniture plant were among the businesses damaged.

Carruth said the tornado cut off power for 6,000 people at Newton, 70 miles (112 km) east of the state capital Jackson.

Mississippi Gov. Ronnie Musgrove declared a state of emergency and planned to visit the town.

"On a scale of one to 10, I would say the damage is a 10 in the downtown and business districts and WalMart shopping center," said a spokeswoman for Newton's police department.

"A lot of old oak trees are lying in the streets and that is making it hard for emergency people to get in and out," the spokeswoman added.

The tornado was part of a violent storm system that swept eastward across Mississippi on Thursday. Several tornadoes were reported, including one that caused minor damage to buildings in Lincoln County in the southwestern part of the state.