Portal:Tornadoes/Anniversaries/May 7

May 7

• 1840 – the second-deadliest tornado in U.S. history destroyed the central and northern parts of Natchez, Mississippi and nearby areas, killing at least 317 people. Most of the deaths were in boats on the Mississippi River, which was experiencing high traffic at the time. The death toll may have been much higher, as there were unverified reports that hundreds of slaves were killed in Louisiana. The deaths of slaves in the pre-Civil War United States were not always counted.
• 1846 – A tornado devastated Grenada, Mississippi, killing at least 21 people. There were likely additional deaths later on as people succumbed to their injuries.