Hurricane Ethel caused substantial beach erosion throughout the barrier islands of Mississippi but brought a relatively small storm surge of along the populated coastline. Roughly of the east end of Horn Island (Mississippi) was lost. The storm also split Ship Island into two islands, east and west Ship Islands. However, few knew of this split until Hurricane Camille in 1969 Atlantic hurricane season substantially widened the split. The sustained wind reached a maximum of in Biloxi, Mississippi. Throughout the Mississippi Gulf Coast, winds reached gusts approached . In Pascagoula, Mississippi, broken glass, fallen trees and signs covered the streets. Several areas were also flooded and power was lost in area where power lines were downed by high winds. Following the storm, Governor of Mississippi Ross Barnett ordered 100 Mississippi National Guard to Pascagoula and requested other troops in other areas.