Mississippi
How the Clarion Ledger covered the devastating Rolling Fork, MS, tornado in March of 2023
Deadly tornado tears through Rolling Fork
Deadly tornado tears through Rolling Fork, killing at least 21 and leveling about 85% of structures
Hannah Mattix/Clarion Ledger, Wochit
Rolling Fork is a town well-steeped in adversity. The community of fewer than 2,000 residents in the Mississippi Delta has witnessed flood and economics devastate its community before.
Nothing, though, had hardened it for the EF-4 tornado that ripped through the town after dark on March 24, 2023, destroying homes, businesses and claiming 15 lives in town and more than 20 across the state. Wind speeds were reported just shy of 200 mph, and nothing stood in its three-quarters-of-a-mile-wide wake.
The Clarion Ledger sprinted into action to cover the impact to this town, roughly an hour and half’s drive to the north of the Jackson area, at least that is when you could drive at all through roads torn apart or covered in debris. Before dawn, the Clarion Ledger’s team of photographers and reporters was in place.
With a live blog populated by every news and sports reporter the team had, the Clarion Ledger provided the most news gathering of any team on the ground. Our original main bar captured the sweep of the storm that the National Weather Service ultimately determined was the worst to hit its Jackson, Mississippi, coverage area in more than a half century.
About 80% to 85% of the homes in Rolling Fork had severe damage or were destroyed in the tornado.
The Clarion Ledger’s team immediately began to tell the stories of the people impacted, while chronicling the rising death toll and putting into perspective where the storm stood among the many calamities the state has endured. Compelling gallery after gallery along with video, daily live blogs and drone footage helped readers understand the devastation and the recovery. We told readers how they could help victims.
And we turned attention to the area residents’ struggles and the communities’ resiliency, Clarion Ledger staff members:
- Told a tale of coincidence and fortune — that of the local school’s prom, which no doubt saved countless lives. Chuck’s Dairy Bar, the local hangout would have been full of the city’s high school children. It always was on Saturday night. But that night was prom night, and the teens were a few miles away, enough to be out of harm’s way. Chuck’s Dairy Bar was completely leveled. The teens, had they been at their normal haunt, would have likely died. When they got word of the storm, the teens rushed to town, still dressed in their tuxes and prom dresses, and worked to help survivors out of the rubble.
- Chronicled the story of an 81-year-old minister who had been struck by a tornado twice — in just three months, losing both homes.
- Wrote about area residents who wore many hats, including the Rolling Fork mayor who also served as the local funeral director, overwhelmed by grief amid duty; and the long, torturous days of Natalie Perkins, editor of the local weekly newspaper, who also sat on the emergency management agency board the the county in which Rolling Fork was hit.
- Focused on the state of church services, an important component of the fabric of the Delta community, the day after the tornado and into the week.
- In the days that followed, told the story of people reunited with their family photos, some windblown more than 100 miles from their scrapbooks to where they were recovered.
- Explored the challenges of the local hospital, like many others in the Delta, facing closure amid financial pressure but one that saved lives after the storms.
- Wrote about the task of debris removal, the impact of the storm on local businesses and on sports throughout the state.
By the week’s end, Clarion Ledger staff members attended heart-wrenching funeral services, such as the one for 2-year-old Aubree Green in nearby Silver City, which was also decimated by the tornado that ripped through the Delta and into the city of Amory in Northeast Mississippi.
Days after the storm, President Joe Biden visited the Rolling Fork, solemnly reading the names of the 13 who died the day of the tornado. That death toll would rise. Clarion Ledger staffer Ross Reily, who had not stopped all week, was the local pool reporter.
We noted in a separate story that Biden was not the first American president to visit this Delta city. More than a century earlier, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Rolling Fork on a bear hunt, and when he refused to kill a bear that had been tied up and clubbed for him, believing it unsporting, editorial cartoonists featured the president and the bear. Thus was spawned — the Teddy Bear.
Until March 2023, if you had heard of Rolling Fork at all, that is what you knew of the city. The Clarion Ledger made sure that the stories of its people, its struggles and its heroes, were not lost.
Mississippi Drone footage of Rolling Fork tornado damage
The small Delta town of Rolling Fork suffered widespread devastation after a tornado hit Friday., MEMA reports at least 25 dead across the state.
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 20 drawing
06-14-22-23-29
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 20 drawing
Midday: 3-3-4, FB: 7
Evening: 9-7-3, FB: 5
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 20 drawing
Midday: 0-2-5-1, FB: 7
Evening: 7-1-0-9, FB: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 20 drawing
Midday: 02
Evening: 13
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Mississippi
Eight tornadoes confirmed in Louisiana and Mississippi from Post-Tropical Cyclone Arthur storms
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The National Weather Service has confirmed eight tornadoes touched down across Louisiana and Mississippi on June 18th, 2026, with damage surveys revealing significant impacts to homes, businesses, and infrastructure.
The survey work continues on several areas, including Eden Isle, where meteorologists are analyzing whether additional weak tornadoes occurred within widespread wind damage.
The NWS has asked for patience as crews complete their analysis, with the next update expected Monday, June 22.
A busy morning of severe weather
The tornado activity began early Thursday morning around 2:49 a.m. and continued through the morning hours, with the last confirmed tornado occurring around 8:12 a.m.
The storms primarily impacted the greater New Orleans area, including parts of Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, and St. Tammany Parish in Louisiana, as well as Hancock and Harrison counties in Mississippi.
The damage: eight confirmed tornadoes
Houma area hit hardest
Four of the eight confirmed tornadoes touched down in the Houma area, with a fourth nearby.
The most significant damage in Houma came from an EF-1 tornado that tracked through the city around 3:47 a.m., producing winds up to 95 mph.
This tornado damaged the Lynn Park Shopping Center, where nearly every window was damaged, and interior walls partially collapsed. Four homes sustained partial to significant roof loss, and one home had an exterior wall collapse.
Another EF-1 tornado in the same area tossed a truck 30 feet and caused significant damage. Multiple trees were snapped and uprooted, with several homes sustaining partial roof loss, and at least one carport collapsed.
An EF-1 tornado causes significant roof damage to two homes on Crozier Drive, and at least one exterior wall collapsed on each.
An EF-0 tornado also impacted the McCord area of Houma, damaging trees, several homes, and electrical poles.
Long-track tornado from St. Tammany Parish to Mississippi
The most significant tornado of the day was an EF-1 that traveled 12.42 miles from Treasure Isle in St. Tammany Parish to rural Hancock County, Mississippi. With maximum winds of 105 mph and a width of up to 300 yards, this tornado caused extensive damage across its path.
The tornado flipped a large boat near Treasure Isle and progressed northeast, removing shingles from homes and snapping trees along Bluegill Drive.
As it moved into Avery Estates, the tornado grew in size and strengthened, uprooting numerous trees along U.S. Highway 190 and damaging several outbuildings. A manufactured home had most of its roof removed and was shifted significantly off its foundation.
The tornado maintained strength as it moved over the Pearl River Basin before weakening as it approached Hancock County, where ground survey teams documented widespread tree damage on rural roads.
Additional tornadoes
An EF-1 tornado tracked 7.26 miles from Bridge City through New Orleans to the University of New Orleans area around 5:43 a.m., producing winds up to 95 mph. Damage was primarily tree damage and minor building damage across the city.
A brief EF-1 tornado touched down north of Highway 90 in Avondale, injuring two people. The tornado tracked northeast with home damage and snapped tree branches. One home sustained damage when another mobile home rolled into it. The wind speeds were estimated to be 90 mph.
An EF-1 tornado also tracked across Hancock and Harrison counties in Mississippi, with widespread tree damage, including several large trees uprooted and snapped. Minor damage occurred to several properties along the 6.38-mile path.
No Fatalities Reported
Despite the significant damage from eight tornadoes, no fatalities were reported. However, two injuries were reported in the Avondale area.
All information in this report is preliminary and subject to change pending final review and publication in NWS Storm Data.
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Copyright 2026 WVUE. All rights reserved.
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 19, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 19 drawing
07-10-13-22-31
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 1-4-2, FB: 5
Evening: 5-5-4, FB: 9
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 2-3-2-8, FB: 5
Evening: 9-2-8-4, FB: 9
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 19 drawing
Midday: 05
Evening: 04
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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