As dawn broke over Mississippi, exposing a trail of destruction left in its wake by powerful tornadoes that swept through the state, one city was wiped out by the devastating storm.
At least 23 people have been killed in several counties in the region, four are still missing and dozens are injured as emergency services begin the long process of assessing the damage left by the 24 vertebrae.
Most of the impact came from a storm that blazed a wild 80-mph path northeast across Mississippi and Alabama, according to AccuWeather.
The rural towns of Silver City and Rolling Fork, about 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi, bore the brunt of damage from a tornado that struck the area just after 8 p.m. Friday.
Shattered residents wandered through a wasteland of rubble in Rolling Fork, while others dug through the rubble of their burned-out homes hoping to salvage the valuables they had left behind.
As dawn broke, a trail of destruction left in its wake by powerful tornadoes that swept through Mississippi was revealed, with one city wiped out by the devastating storm
At least 23 people were killed in several counties in the region while four are still missing as emergency services began assessing the damage from the 24 cyclones recorded by the storm forecast center
Over 30 million people were under a tornado warning throughout the evening, warned to prepare for the killer storms that brought golf ball-sized hail.
Houses were torn off their roofs and power lines down, leaving victims trapped under rubble and thousands without electricity.
Authorities warned those on their way to prepare for a “life-threatening situation” and dispatched search and rescue teams to several counties in the region on Saturday morning.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Rolling Fork’s Brandy Showah told CNN. “It was a really great little town, and now it’s gone.”
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted early Saturday, “At least twenty-three Mississippi residents were killed by last night’s violent tornadoes.”
“We know that many more have been injured. Search and rescue teams remain active.
“The loss will forever be felt in these cities. Please pray that God’s hand is on those who have lost family and friends.’
Shattered residents wandered through a wasteland of rubble in Rolling Fork, while others dug through the rubble of their burned-out homes hoping to salvage the valuables they had left behind
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency met Saturday morning to gather more information about the night’s storms and plan how to deal with the devastation
He later tweeted: “Just completed the command briefing with our disaster response team. Devastating damage – as everyone knows.”
“This is a tragedy. I’m on my way to Sharkey County to be with the people who got hit first. We are blessed with brave, capable responders and loving neighbors. Please keep praying.’
US President Joe Biden has not yet commented on the devastated state.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency met Saturday morning to gather more information about the night’s storms and plan how to deal with the devastation.
They tweeted a picture of the meeting and said: “We are currently meeting with our command staff to get more information on the night’s storms and our plan of action going forward.”
“Information on housing and feeding operations will follow shortly.”
So far, 13 deaths have been recorded about 60 miles northwest of Jackson in Sharkey County, home of Rolling Fork, according to coroner Angelia Easton.
Three others were killed and at least two in critical condition in Humphreys County, Emergency Management Director Royce Steed told the outlet early Saturday morning.
Three people died in a home in Carroll County, coroner Mark Stiles said, adding they appear to have been killed in a tornado.
Search and rescue teams were dispatched to Sharkey County, Mississippi after a severe storm hit the community
Severe damage was reported in the town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi after the tornado tore through homes and businesses
A home in Sharkey County is being torn apart Friday night after the tornado swept through the area
Meanwhile, two people were killed in Monroe County in northeast Mississippi, Coroner Alan Gurley said.
The tornado left at least 100 miles of destruction and storm debris in its wake and has reportedly hit Alabama.
The storms have powered more than 100,000 homes and businesses in Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee as of 5:45 a.m. ET, with more than 70,000 outages reported in Tennessee alone, according to PowerOutage.us.
NWS issued an urgent alert after the tornado made landfall, warning: “To protect your life, take cover now”.
“You are in a life-threatening situation,” it warned. “Flying debris can be fatal to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes are destroyed. Significant damage to homes, businesses and vehicles is likely and complete destruction is possible.’
The roof of another house was torn off after the devastating winds and lightning on Friday
A series of severe storms will move across the South, particularly parts of the lower Mississippi Valley, during the evening and night hours
Search and rescue teams were dispatched to Sharkey and Humphreys counties, Mississippi, while first responders were forced to disperse injured victims to area hospitals after significant damage was sustained at Sharkey-Issaquena Community Hospital.
Corney Knight, who lives in Mississippi, said he, his wife and their three-year-old daughter were at a relative’s house when the tornado hit, which he described as “eerily quiet.”
He added the sky was dark but “you could see the direction of every transformer that blew.”
More than half a dozen emergency shelters were set up across Mississippi after the twister tore through homes and businesses.
Significant damage was found in the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi
Meanwhile, cars were spotted trying to flee the area and others regrouped after the tornado
Some residents of the tiny town seemed to stand around, dazed after the carnage
Skies over Pope, Mississippi looked particularly menacing Friday night where lightning could be seen
Forecasters on Friday had warned residents in parts of the Midwest and South that dangerously strong winds were blowing through the region
Aside from a few electrical flashes in Anguilla, Mississippi, it was pitch black when the tornado passed
After the twister first ripped through the small town of Rolling Fork, Mississippi, storm chaser Zachary Hill tweeted, “The damage in Rolling Fork, Mississippi is BAD. People are trapped, we need help here.”
Authorities stressed the urgency of the situation, and Hill said police asked him to break the news: “Major tornado damage, we need as many ambulances as possible and all search and rescue assistance in this city.”
Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker told WLBT-TV the tornado made it impossible for him to leave his home after causing extensive damage and destroying power lines to his property.
“The western part of Rolling Fork is residential and only a number of houses over there have been completely destroyed,” added former Rolling Fork Mayor Fred Miller.
“Highway 61, where most of our businesses are located, all businesses on 61 have been completely destroyed. People are trapped in a couple of the restaurants and people are now trying to get them out.’
A tornado about a mile wide appeared to cross the Mississippi River from Anguilla via Silver City, Belzoni, and Rolling Fork
Heavy thunderstorms in the south could produce tornadoes on Friday night
The tornado has come after a severe weather front hit several Midwestern states, with southern Missouri hit by nearly three inches of rain Thursday night.
Torrential rains in the area resulted in the deaths of two people after their car was swept away by the deluge. Authorities said there were six young adults in the vehicle, but only four escaped.
The body of Devon Holt, 20, of Grovespring, was found around 3:30 a.m. and the body of Alexander Roman-Ranelli, 19, of Springfield, was recovered about six hours later, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Thomas Junge said.
Reports suggest a suspected tornado also made landfall in north Texas early Friday, damaging homes and downing trees and power lines.
A red SUV is submerged in flood water on Old Ritchey Road in Granby, Missouri early Friday. An elderly woman was rescued from the car
A man stuck in a tree is rescued by fast water teams from the Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District and the Verde Valley Fire District in Camp Verde, Arizona. Several water rescues were reported in central and northern Arizona during the week
Torrential rain caused backyard flooding in Bryant, Arkansas on Friday
Backyards appeared more like lakes after the heavy downpours
A view from this weather satellite shows how broad the storm appears to be over the south
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards warned of possible tornadoes hitting the state by the weekend and urged residents to prepare for significant damage.
As the tornado continued to devastate the state, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a tweet, “Many in the MS Delta need your prayers and God’s protection tonight.
“We have activated medical support – providing more ambulances and other emergency resources to those affected. Search and Rescue is active.”
The storm system was fueled by a slump in the jet stream that swept through California on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in tornadoes there including one that struck downtown LA — the first in the area since 1953.