Tornadoes Damage Nearly 500 Homes in Mississippi as Multiple Storms Leave 17 Injured
JACKSON, Miss. — May 8, 2026 — A series of powerful tornadoes tore through several counties in Mississippi on Wednesday evening, May 6, damaging nearly 500 homes and injuring at least 17 people as severe thunderstorms swept across the southwestern portion of the state, authorities reported .
The storms, which included at least seven confirmed tornadoes according to preliminary National Weather Service (NWS) data, left a trail of destruction across Lincoln, Lamar, Lawrence, Franklin and Wilkinson counties . A mobile home park in the small community of Bogue Chitto in rural Lincoln County was particularly hard-hit, with dozens of homes flattened into piles of splintered boards and twisted metal .
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“I was just watching TikTok on my bed and thought it was thunder. I went to my living room. I went back to my room, and the room’s gone,” resident Max Mahaffey told WAPT-TV. He said he was not injured, but his grandmother hurt her ankle and some neighbors suffered cuts and bruises .
Tornado Intensity and Scope
The National Weather Service has so far confirmed tornadoes ranging from EF-0 to EF-3 intensity across the affected region. The strongest confirmed tornado was an EF-3 that tracked from eastern Franklin County through Lincoln County into Lawrence County, with peak winds estimated at 137 mph . The tornado traveled a long path, causing significant damage to homes, trees and infrastructure .
An EF-2 tornado was confirmed in Wilkinson County, tracking into Adams and Franklin counties near Bude and Garden City . Additional tornadoes were confirmed near Smithsburg, Dillon and other communities, including an EF-1 that caused significant tree damage and downed wooden transmission lines .
As of Tuesday, May 7, NWS survey crews continued to assess damage to determine final ratings, with at least one additional tornado path under investigation in Lamar and Forrest counties .
Casualties and Injuries
Scott Simmons, a spokesperson for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), confirmed Thursday that 17 people sustained injuries during the tornado outbreak. Twelve of those injured were transported from Gene’s Mobile Home Supply, a mobile home park in Bogue Chitto .
Gov. Tate Reeves provided a breakdown of injuries, reporting 12 in Lincoln County, four in Lamar County and one in Franklin County . No fatalities have been reported.
In addition to injuries, a lightning strike in Walthall County sparked a house fire during the storms, though no injuries were reported in that incident .
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Structural Damage by County
According to MEMA, damage assessments have been completed in the hardest-hit areas:
- Lamar County: Approximately 275 homes and 50 apartment units were damaged or rendered inaccessible. Reeves reported 30 roads were closed because of debris .
- Lincoln County: More than 200 homes sustained damage, with the Bogue Chitto area bearing the brunt. The volunteer group United Cajun Navy was deploying a 50-person shelter pod, a generator and supplies to support response efforts .
- Lawrence County: Officials reported 10 to 12 homes damaged, according to the state emergency management agency .
- Additional Counties: Damage also was reported in Franklin and Wilkinson counties, though specific totals were not immediately available .
Community Impact and Power Outages
At one point Thursday morning, approximately 18,000 customers were without power across Mississippi, with Lincoln, Franklin, Walthall and Lawrence counties among the areas with the most outages .
Gene’s Mobile Home Supply in Bogue Chitto, which contained about two dozen homes, was largely flattened . One intact trailer lay flipped on its roof near the tree line, and several cars appeared to have been picked up by the storm .
Several school districts in the hardest-hit areas closed Thursday because of storm damage. Some districts could reopen Friday depending on cleanup and damage assessments .
In Lincoln County, many roads remained blocked Thursday, and Reeves said a volunteer rescue group was providing a shelter pod, a high-power generator and supplies to the county .
Resident Krystal Miller told WAPT that she, her six family members including a 4-week-old infant, and a Bible were thrown from their home when the tornado picked it up and rolled it. She said her young son was hospitalized, and another child suffered facial injuries .
State Response
Gov. Tate Reeves urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid sightseeing in damaged areas, where crews continue to work to clear debris and restore infrastructure.
“Pray for Mississippi,” Reeves posted online, adding that MEMA was coordinating response efforts . I-55 between Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto reopened but drivers were told to expect temporary lane or shoulder closures while crews continued cleanup .
Interstate 55 between Brookhaven and Bogue Chitto has reopened, though drivers were told to expect temporary lane or shoulder closures as cleanup continues .
MEMA officials asked residents with storm damage to file insurance claims, take photos of the damage and report damage through county or state emergency management officials .
Weekend Forecast and Additional Risk
Forecasters warned Thursday that additional storms could impact the South over the weekend, though the most significant severe weather risk was expected to remain south of the hardest-hit areas.
According to the National Weather Service, isolated storms may return Friday, May 8, and include damaging wind and hail up to quarter-size. The southern part of the state from about the U.S. 84 corridor south — including Hattiesburg — is at a Marginal Risk, or Level 1 warning (on a scale of five), the NWS said .
For Saturday, May 9, there is a Level 1 risk from along the Interstate 20 corridor south, as well as in the western Delta along the Mississippi River and the southeast portion of the state. Isolated severe storms could happen at any time during the event, but the greatest chances are in the afternoon and evening .
The National Weather Service in Jackson said survey crews would continue site assessments Friday for areas still under investigation, including Lamar and Forrest counties .
SOURCES
- New York Post/AP: Nearly 500 homes damaged in Mississippi storms as multiple tornadoes reported — injuring at least 17
- TVBS: Multiple tornadoes strike Mississippi overnight — homes flattened, tens of thousands without power
- Butler Eagle/AP: Tornadoes cut across Mississippi as severe storms damage 500 homes
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