Mississippi tornado destruction: A breakdown of what happened in Rolling Fork, other areas

Brian Broom, Mississippi Clarion Ledger
·2 min read
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A powerful storm system ripped through Mississippi on March 24 and left a trail of destruction in its path. Homes businesses and lives were destroyed by tornadoes spawned by the storm.

Here's a breakdown of the tornadoes and the deaths and damage they caused.

Tornado data according to NASA Earth Observatory

  • There were 20 reports of tornadoes across Mississippi and Alabama on March 24.

  • Communities in west and central Mississippi were devastated after two tornadoes impacted homes, businesses, and farmland.

  • Around 8 p.m. a violent tornado touched down near Mississippi’s border with Louisiana.

  • As it passed through Rolling Fork, much of the town was destroyed.

  • The tornado was an EF4 and had wind speeds of up to 170 miles per hour.

  • It was estimated to be three-quarters of a mile wide, according to the National Weather Service in Jackson.

  • It traveled almost 60 miles northeast and lasted more than an hour.

A second Mississippi tornado

  • Shortly after, another tornado touched down near Black Hawk, 56 miles northeast of Rolling Fork, according to NASA Earth Observatory.

  • The tornado flipped over cars, demolished mobile homes, and downed power lines.

  • The tornado was an EF3 with maximum winds of 150 miles per hour.

  • The tornado made a 29-mile path east through Winona before ending near Kilmichael.

More tornadoes in Mississippi

According to the National Weather Service, in addition to the Blackhawk and Rolling Fork tornadoes, five other tornadoes were reported on March 24.

  • Panola County: EF1, 95 miles per hour, 100 yards wide

  • Panola County, southeast: EF1, 110 miles per hour, 150 yards wide

  • Panola, Lafayette counties: EF1, 100 miles per hour, 125 yards wide

  • Union County: EF1, 90 miles per hour, 125 yards wide

  • Chickasaw, Itawamba counties: EF3, 155 miles per hour, .9 miles wide

21 Mississippi tornado-related deaths by county

  • Carroll County: 3 fatalities

  • Humphreys County: 3 fatalities

  • Monroe County: 2 fatalities

  • Sharkey County: 13 fatalities

Homes damaged by March 24 storms by county

As of Wednesday, counties reporting damage include:

  • Monroe: 1,476 homes

  • Sharkey: 255 homes

  • Humphreys: 55 homes

  • Montgomery: 49 homes

  • Panola: 31 homes

  • Carroll: 24 homes

  • Lee: 10 homes

  • Bolivar: 9 homes

  • Lafayette: 2 homes

  • Itawamba: 1 home

  • Grenada: 1 home

  • Prentiss: 1 home

Contact Brian Broom at bbroom@gannett.com or 601-961-7225.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi tornado damage: Path, rating and destruction from deadly tornadoes March 24