It has overturned homes, cars and mountains of rubble in its
wake.
The town of Rolling Fork, where one fifth of residents live below
the poverty line, was virtually destroyed on Friday.
AFPCopyright: AFP
The remains of an overturned house and car are seen in Rolling Fork, MississippiImage caption: The remains of an overturned house and car are seen in Rolling Fork, Mississippi
Governor discusses tornado response
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Governor Tate Reeves in Rolling ForkImage caption: Governor Tate Reeves in Rolling Fork
It has been a busy couple of days for Mississippi state
governor Tate Reeves, who has travelled to some of the areas most affected by tornado.
He’s been sharing updates from on the ground on his Twitter page since the storms first hit.
The governor has been leading a briefing at the state’s
emergency management agency headquarters today alongside State Senator Roger
Wicker, House Representative Bennie Thompson and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
We are expecting to hear more from him shortly.
What help is there for residents?
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, one of the agencies directing the response to the tornado, says 25 people have died in the counties of Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll and Monroe.
Bottled water, hand washing stations and portable toilets have been set up to help affected residents.
There are also three shelters open across the state, with food provided by charities.
We will do everything we can to help – Biden
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
President Joe BidenImage caption: President Joe Biden
President Biden has declared a major emergency in the US
state and has offered "full federal support" to deal with the response.
Biden describes the scenes in Mississippi as “heartbreaking”
and says he and the First Lady are
praying for those who have lost loved ones.
“We will do everything we
can to help. We will work together to deliver the support you need to recover,
for as long as it takes,” he writes on Twitter.
Rolling Fork - a town in shock
Sophie Long
in Rolling Fork, Mississippi
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Rolling Fork is almost entirely wiped outImage caption: Rolling Fork is almost entirely wiped out
As you approach Rolling Fork from the south you can
clearly see the tornado's path.
There’s a straight line of trees that have been
stripped of their branches and uprooted. Others to either side are untouched.
But there is debris strewn across the acres of farmland that surround the town,
where parts of buildings and vehicles were deposited.
In Rolling Fork itself
the extent of the devastation is still difficult to comprehend.
While
yesterday, survivors walked around, dazed, in shock, today it is hive of
activity.
The authorities say a search operation is still under way, but the
four people who were missing have now been accounted for.
The emphasis, at the
moment, is making sure people have drinking water and somewhere to sleep.
Stations have been set up outside some of the few buildings still partially
standing where people can collect water and sandwiches.
The devastation is so
great, it must be difficult to know where to begin.
Crews are working to remove
broken trees that are pinning down power lines, thousands of homes lost power during Friday’s storm.
What we know so far
Here's what we know about the situation so far:
25 people in Mississippi and one person in
Alabama have died after a tornado tore through the two states on Friday night
A state of emergency has been declared in Mississippi
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing
President Joe Biden has order federal assistance
for affected areas
The tornado hit in the middle of the night, meaning
many had not heard the alerts
Several small, rural towns have been destroyed
The town of Rolling Fork in western Mississippi has
almost entirely been destroyed. Crushed cars, bricks and glass litter the
streets
Mississippi state governor Tate Reeves has
visited several towns to meet affected residents
Welcome
Welcome to
our coverage of the latest updates on what’s been a devastating weekend in
Mississippi.
On Friday
night, the southern US state and neighbouring Alabama were hit by severe
weather. A tornado swept through the southern US states causing widespread
devastation across rural communities. At least 26 people, including a father
and his baby daughter, are now known to have died and hundreds have been left
homeless.
We’re
expecting to hear within the hour from Mississippi governor Tate Reeves who
we’re told will be holding a press conference.
Stay with us as we bring you the
latest updates from that.
Live Reporting
Edited by Fiona Nimoni
All times stated are UK
Overturned homes and cars - photos show devastation
Images show the devastation the tornado caused as it tore through Mississippi on Friday night.
It has overturned homes, cars and mountains of rubble in its wake.
The town of Rolling Fork, where one fifth of residents live below the poverty line, was virtually destroyed on Friday.
Governor discusses tornado response
It has been a busy couple of days for Mississippi state governor Tate Reeves, who has travelled to some of the areas most affected by tornado.
He’s been sharing updates from on the ground on his Twitter page since the storms first hit.
The governor has been leading a briefing at the state’s emergency management agency headquarters today alongside State Senator Roger Wicker, House Representative Bennie Thompson and representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
We are expecting to hear more from him shortly.
What help is there for residents?
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, one of the agencies directing the response to the tornado, says 25 people have died in the counties of Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll and Monroe.
Bottled water, hand washing stations and portable toilets have been set up to help affected residents.
There are also three shelters open across the state, with food provided by charities.
We will do everything we can to help – Biden
President Biden has declared a major emergency in the US state and has offered "full federal support" to deal with the response.
Biden describes the scenes in Mississippi as “heartbreaking” and says he and the First Lady are praying for those who have lost loved ones.
“We will do everything we can to help. We will work together to deliver the support you need to recover, for as long as it takes,” he writes on Twitter.
Rolling Fork - a town in shock
Sophie Long
in Rolling Fork, Mississippi
As you approach Rolling Fork from the south you can clearly see the tornado's path.
There’s a straight line of trees that have been stripped of their branches and uprooted. Others to either side are untouched.
But there is debris strewn across the acres of farmland that surround the town, where parts of buildings and vehicles were deposited.
In Rolling Fork itself the extent of the devastation is still difficult to comprehend.
While yesterday, survivors walked around, dazed, in shock, today it is hive of activity.
The authorities say a search operation is still under way, but the four people who were missing have now been accounted for.
The emphasis, at the moment, is making sure people have drinking water and somewhere to sleep.
Stations have been set up outside some of the few buildings still partially standing where people can collect water and sandwiches.
The devastation is so great, it must be difficult to know where to begin.
Crews are working to remove broken trees that are pinning down power lines, thousands of homes lost power during Friday’s storm.
What we know so far
Here's what we know about the situation so far:
Welcome
Welcome to our coverage of the latest updates on what’s been a devastating weekend in Mississippi.
On Friday night, the southern US state and neighbouring Alabama were hit by severe weather. A tornado swept through the southern US states causing widespread devastation across rural communities. At least 26 people, including a father and his baby daughter, are now known to have died and hundreds have been left homeless.
We’re expecting to hear within the hour from Mississippi governor Tate Reeves who we’re told will be holding a press conference.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates from that.