May 7, 1840The Natchez
Tornado touched down in Concordia Parish, Louisiana,
and Adams County, Mississippi. Most of
the deaths occurred on the
Mississippi River, since the
tornado tracked for some time directly
over the waterway. The death toll from the tornado is undoubtedly
higher than officially listed, as many slave deaths were probably not
included in the total.
May 27, 1896
The St. Louis Tornado
touched down six miles west of Eads Bridge. Buildings and homes along
the river were swept away or damaged, although the steel span bridge
was largely undamaged.
April 5, 1936
The Tupelo Tornado
began near Coffeeville, Yalobusha County. It leveled hundreds of houses
and killed entire families. A movie theater was turned into a hospital
with the popcorn machine used to sterilize instruments. One
hundred-five box cars were brought into town to serve as temporary
housing.