President Joe Biden spoke to state and local leaders after a deadly storm that produced 24 twisters tore through Mississippi and parts of Alabama.
The powerful tornadoes developed out of a storm that blazed a wild 80 mph path northeast across Mississippi and parts of Alabama, according to AccuWeather.
At least 24 people have been killed in the two states, most in Mississippi, but as search and rescue teams comb through the rubble, they say they can expect that number to rise.
Biden said he prays “for those who have lost loved ones” and “for those whose loved ones are missing.”
In a statement, the president wrote that he has reached out to Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, spoken to Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and liaised with Rep. Bennie Thompson about the situation.
President Joe Biden spoke to state and local leaders after a deadly storm that produced 24 twisters tore through Mississippi and parts of Alabama
Reeves arrived in Rolling Fork on Saturday along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He said he had the full support of US President Joe Biden, who assured him over the phone that FEMA would be there to “support” the response.
He expressed his condolences and offered “full federal support while communities recover from the effects of this storm.”
Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell was also among the people Biden contacted after the devastation.
‘[She] has already deployed emergency personnel and resources to support search and rescue and assess the damage,” he said.
“We will do everything we can to help. We will work together to provide you with the support you need in your recovery, for as long as it takes.’
FEMA tweeted, “Following last night’s devastating tornadoes, we are coordinating with @MSEMA officials to support impacted communities.”
“We are working closely with our government partners to assess the affected areas. Our thoughts are with these communities and their loved ones.’
The rural towns of Silver City and Rolling Fork, about 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi, were hardest hit after a tornado hit the area just after 8 p.m. Friday
Aerial footage captured by a Rolling Fork drone early Saturday morning showed burnt-out homes, battered vehicles stuck among rubble and residents’ belongings scattered across the wasteland.
Other images from around the city showed shaken residents wandering the city, dodging over the rubble in hopes of salvaging the valuables they had left behind.
As dawn broke over Mississippi, the trail of destruction left by the powerful tornadoes was plain to see.
Reeves declared a state of emergency after 24 hurricanes ripped through the state, killing dozens, injuring others and leaving a trail of destruction akin to a “war zone.”
Residents of the hard-hit Rolling Fork greeted Reeves as he surveyed the damage in the small town
Meanwhile, a 67-year-old Alabama man was killed after being trapped in his RV during Friday night’s tornadoes, CNN reported.
A Morgan County emergency room spokesman confirmed the death and told the outlet it’s unclear whether a powerful tornado or two separate storms devastated the area.
The Morgan County death is the only one recorded so far in Alabama and has brought the death toll for the entire storm system to 24.
It comes as authorities revealed a husband and wife were found dead at their home in Rolling Fork after winds threw a neighbor’s 18-wheel truck into their home.
Rolling Fork resident Shanta Howard said the community has come together to help with the operation.
“Everyone helps everyone, not just this part of town — it’s everywhere,” she told WAPT 16.
“Everyone helps and prays for everyone. As you can see, nobody has a home here.
“We had to help dead bodies out of the house. This is very disturbing – to actually see people losing their lives in such bad weather.
“What was going through my head? “Lord, I don’t want to die. I don’t want me or the children to die.”
Shelters have opened in Mississippi for people displaced from their homes by tornadoes in Sharkey, Monroe and Humphreys counties.
Shelters have opened in Mississippi for people displaced from their homes by tornadoes in Sharkey, Monroe and Humphreys counties
Search and rescue teams have now been dispatched to Rolling Fork, along with ambulances
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
The main threats on Saturday were destructive winds and isolated tornadoes as the larger storm system heads east and is expected to push off the east coast by evening.
Parts of the south are at a Level 2 out of 5 risk on Sunday for another round of severe storms that will bring damaging winds, isolated tornadoes and heavy hail to the area.
Affected areas include Montgomery in Alabama, Jackson in Mississippi, and Columbus and Macon in Georgia.
Flooding could also be a threat in parts of the south, with another 2 to 4 inches of rain possible through Sunday.