Chickasaw and Monroe County Tornado May 7 2003

PRELIMINARY DAMAGE SURVEYS INDICATE  A POWERFUL TORNADO CUT A 22 MILE LONG PATH OF INTERMITTENT DESTRUCTION
ACROSS SOUTH PARTS OF CHICKASAW AND MONROE COUNTIES THURSDAY MORNING.
THE TORNADO WAS SPAWNED FROM AN INTENSE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM THAT THREATENED TO PRODUCE TORNADOES AS IT 
TRACKED EAST ACROSS MISSISSIPPI. THE STORM SPUN THE FIRST SPECTER OF TORNADOES AS IT MOVED OVER SOUTHERN 
COAHOMA COUNTY. THE STORM THEN PASSED EAST OVER QUITMAN, TALLAHATCHIE, YALOBUSHA, AND CALHOUN COUNTIES.
DOWNED TREES, POWER LINES, AND FUNNEL CLOUD SIGHTINGS WERE REPORTED SPORADICALLY AS THE STORM MOVED 
THROUGH.
A CONTINUOUS PATH OF TORNADO DAMAGE BEGAN IN THE TOMBIGBEE NATIONAL FOREST, JUST WEST OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE 
PARKWAY, ABOUT TWO MILES NORTH OF HOUSTON, MS. THE TORNADO PRODUCED A QUARTER MILE WIDE SWATH OF DAMAGE 
FROM THAT POINT EASTWARD THROUGH THE BUENA VISTA AND EGYPT COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST CHICKASAW COUNTY.
CONTINUING ON THE GROUND, THE TORNADO RIPPED EAST ALONG EGYPT ROAD IN SOUTHWEST MONROE COUNTY AND ACROSS 
HIGHWAY 45 NORTH OF ABERDEEN BEFORE DISSIPATING JUST WEST OF THE MONROE COUNTY AIRPORT. SEVERAL HOMES
WERE DEMOLISHED OR SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE FROM THE TORNADO BOTH NEAR BUENA VISTA AND FROM THE EGYPT 
COMMUNITY EASTWARD ALONG EGYPT ROAD.
SOME RESIDENTS ALONG EGYPT ROAD ESCAPED INJURY WHEN THEY LEFT THEIR TRAILER HOMES AND RAN TO A NEIGHBOR'S 
CONVENTIONALLY BUILT HOME AFTER THE TORNADO WARNING WAS TELEPHONED FROM A RELATIVE.  WHILE THERE WERE
SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED, COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORTED NONE OF THE INJURIES WERE LIFE THREATENING.