NATCHEZ — A barge struck the Mississippi River bridge at Natchez Thursday, but officials say damage to the bridge was contained to just a scratch.

Adams County Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford said a barge carrying slurry oil struck the bridge between 1 and 1:30 p.m. A resident spotted the barge and reported it to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, which alerted Bradford. Bradford then called the U.S. Coast Guard.

The impact ruptured the hull of the barge, Bradford said. The barge ended up south of the port near St. Catherine Creek, Bradford said.

Mississippi Department of Transportation spokesman Michael Flood said an inspection of the bridge showed the barge only scratched one of the bridge’s supports.

The Coast Guard planned to remain on scene Thursday night, Bradford said, and would offload slurry oil this morning from the barge to keep it from sinking.

Bradford said he and the Coast Guard planned to inspect the river this morning to determine if any slurry oil had leaked into the river. Stormy weather prevented them from doing so Thursday.

Unusually high, swift water has made navigation on the Mississippi more difficult over the last several weeks.

Barges have struck the old U.S. 80 bridge in Vicksburg five times in the past 10 days, with a handful of barges sinking.