Mississippi Tornadoes Leave at Least 17 Injured Across Southern Counties

Powerful storms tore through southern Mississippi overnight, damaging hundreds of homes, shutting down major roads, and leaving thousands without power as emergency crews continued recovery efforts Thursday.

Haika Mrema

Published: 5/7/2026, 9:10:03 PM EDT

Mississippi Tornadoes Leave at Least 17 Injured Across Southern Counties — A person stands among debris at Gene's Mobile Home Supply, a trailer park in Bogue Chitto, Miss., on May, 7, 2026, after a tornado cut across the state. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo)

A series of tornadoes and severe storms swept across southern Mississippi overnight, damaging hundreds of homes, closing major roadways, and injuring at least 17 people as emergency officials continued damage assessments Thursday.

Authorities estimated that roughly 500 homes across five counties sustained damage during the storms, which produced at least three confirmed tornadoes across the southern half of the state. No deaths had been reported as of Thursday afternoon, marking the second major tornado outbreak in less than a month in the region without fatalities.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said emergency management teams were coordinating response efforts across the affected areas.

“Pray for Mississippi,” Reeves wrote in a public update posted to Facebook.

The governor later said preliminary assessments showed 275 homes and 50 apartment units in Lamar County were damaged or inaccessible. More than 200 homes were reported damaged in Lincoln County, while Lawrence County reported damage to at least 12 homes.

People walk among debris at Gene's Mobile Home Supply, a trailer park in Bogue Chitto, Miss., on May, 7, 2026, after a tornado cut across the state. (Gerald Herbert/AP Photo) — People walk among debris at Gene's Mobile Home Supply, a trailer park in Bogue Chitto, Miss., on May, 7, 2026, after a tornado cut across the state. Gerald Herbert/AP Photo

Reeves also said approximately 30 roads in Lamar County were blocked by debris. Multiple roads in Lawrence County remained closed because of fallen trees and downed power lines.

Debris from the storms temporarily shut down portions of Interstate 55 in Lincoln County overnight as cleanup crews worked to reopen the roadway. Emergency officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel while crews continued clearing operations.

Shelters and emergency resources were deployed throughout the impacted region. Reeves said Lamar County’s shelter and safe room remained open with support from the American Red Cross. In Lincoln County, the volunteer rescue organization Cajun Navy deployed a 50-person shelter pod, a 30-kilowatt generator, and multiple pallets of emergency supplies.

The National Weather Service said meteorologists identified at least three tornadoes that caused significant damage, though survey teams were continuing to inspect additional locations for possible touchdowns. Meteorologist Daniel Lamb said radar signatures indicated several strong tornadoes moved across the southern portion of the state.

Storm conditions also sparked at least one fire during the outbreak. According to local outlet WAPT, lightning ignited a home in Tylertown amid widespread severe weather activity across the Southeast.

Power outages remained widespread Thursday afternoon. According to PowerOutage.us, over 9,700 homes and businesses in Mississippi were without electricity. Lincoln County reported the highest number of outages, with more than 4,300 customers affected. Magnolia Electric Power reported the largest utility disruption statewide.

The outbreak comes during one of the most active stretches of tornado season in recent years. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, the United States averages about 1,200 tornadoes annually.