Tornado Rips Through Southern Mississippi

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado in southern Mississippi on Sunday as severe weather ripped through southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi throughout the morning.

A tornado warning near Pascagoula, MS was issued at 9:20 Central Time, and emergency managers reported a tornado only five minutes later, touching down roughly 2 miles from Gautier. Damage to homes and businesses was reported.

Eyewitness photos and video show the roof of Aztecas Restaurant & Cantina on US-90, and several vehicles in the parking lot were damaged from the storm.

Meteorologist Jennifer Gray said, “Emergency managers also reported damage to homes on Catalina Street in nearby Pascagoula, MS. Tornado warnings continued in the area for more than an hour for storms producing multiple tornadoes in the area.”

The City of Gaultier reported that there was “heavy damage” to two local apartment complexes and a shelter would be opened for residents displaced from their homes.

Before noon, the NWS New Orleans office announced that the severe weather threat for the surrounding area had ended but, “A few strong storms and waterspouts will remain possible over the open Gulf waters east of the Mississippi River for a few more hours.”