Summary

  • Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves has held a news conference after a devastating tornado killed at least 26 people

  • The tornado ripped through Mississippi and Alabama on Friday night, crushing cars, flattening homes and nearly wiping out the small town of Rolling Fork

  • The governor says there are "significant risks" of more severe weather

  • President Biden has declared a major emergency in Mississippi and freed up money to fund recovery work

  • Search and rescue efforts are continuing, with many homes reduced to rubble and hundreds left homeless

Live Reporting

Edited by Fiona Nimoni

  1. 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.

    The remains of an overturned house and car are seen in Rolling Fork, MississippiAFP

    The remains of an overturned house and car are seen in Rolling Fork, Mississippi

  2. Governor discusses tornado response

    Governor Tate Reeves in Rolling ForkReuters

    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.

  3. 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.

  4. We will do everything we can to help – Biden

    President Joe BidenReuters

    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.

  5. Rolling Fork - a town in shock

    Sophie Long
    in Rolling Fork, Mississippi

    Rolling Fork is almost entirely wiped outReuters

    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.

  6. 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

  7. 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.