Twin Tornadoes Strike South Mississippi, Ripping Through Gautier and Pascagoula

A Quiet Morning Turns Violent

What started as a quiet Sunday morning along the Mississippi Gulf Coast turned into chaos within minutes. Two tornadoes ripped through Gautier, MS, and Pascagoula, MS, shredding roofs, twisting trees, and tossing debris across entire neighborhoods.

The National Weather Service first issued a tornado warning for the area around 9:20 a.m. local time. Just five minutes later, a twister touched down roughly two miles from Gautier. What followed was fast, violent, and unforgettable.

By midmorning, parts of Gautier looked unrecognizable. The roof of Aztecas Restaurant & Cantina on Highway 90 was torn apart. Cars in the parking lot were crushed under mangled metal. Across nearby streets, homes were left open to the sky.

“Amazed at the Damage"

The worst destruction was concentrated around Glenmark Apartments and Riverbend Condominiums. Walls caved in, windows shattered, and entire sections of roofs disappeared.

“Everybody that I’ve come across is amazed at the damage a storm can cause to a building," said Gautier Police Chief David Bever, standing near the splintered remains of the restaurant.

Mayor Casey Vaughan said crews were out early, working to clear debris and check on residents. “Our first responders are working diligently to assess conditions, clear debris, and restore services as quickly as possible," he said. “Gautier is a strong, resilient community, and together we will move forward in recovery and support of our neighbors."

The city opened emergency shelters with help from the Red Cross for residents forced out of their homes. Chairs, insulation, and broken beams were scattered across parking lots, and Sunday worshippers nearby were forced to seek shelter as the storm roared overhead.

Pascagoula Hit Next

Minutes later, another tornado carved its path through Pascagoula, MS, leaving behind a trail of twisted trees and damaged rooftops.

Earl Etheridge, Jackson County’s Public Safety Director, said the tornado that began in Gautier tracked northeast through Hickory Hills and across the Pascagoula River. Another twister struck neighborhoods along Catalina Street and Arlington Road, damaging homes and blocking streets.

Police Chief Terry Scott said one person had to be rescued from flooding in a low-lying neighborhood. “Trees were blocking some roads, but I think we’re OK here," he said.

Power Outages and Cleanup

More than 2,000 homes lost power as poles snapped and lines came down. Singing River Electric sent crews to repair the damage and restore service, working through the afternoon.

By late morning, first responders had searched the hardest-hit areas and confirmed there were no serious injuries or fatalities — only shattered homes and shaken nerves.

The National Weather Service announced that the immediate severe weather threat had ended by midday, though a few strong storms and waterspouts continued to spin offshore.

“It Sounded Like a Train"

For many, the storm came without warning. “It sounded like a train was coming right through the living room," said one resident of Gautier. “The walls shook, the lights went out, and then — silence. Just rain."

Another witness, standing near the ruined restaurant, recalled: “You could hear the roof tearing off. We all hit the floor. When it stopped, everything was gone."

Picking Up the Pieces

By afternoon, the sound of sirens had faded, replaced by the steady buzz of chainsaws and utility trucks. Volunteers and city crews moved through streets covered in splintered wood and shingles.

Neighbors checked on each other, bringing blankets, food, and coffee to those who had lost their homes.

In Gautier and Pascagoula, the cleanup had begun — another test of resilience for two Gulf Coast towns that know storms all too well. But as one resident said quietly while sweeping debris from her porch, “We’re lucky. The wind took things. It did not take lives."