NewsUSAOverwhelming recovery underway in tornado-ravaged Mississippi

Overwhelming recovery underway in tornado-ravaged Mississippi

Aid began pouring in to one of America’s poorest regions after a deadly tornado ripped a path of destruction for more than an hour across a large swath of Mississippi, even as furious new storms ripped through Sunday. deep south.

At least 25 people were killed and dozens more injured in Mississippi as the massive storm swept through more than half a dozen cities late Friday. A man also died in Alabama after his mobile home flipped over multiple times.

“Everything I can see is in some state of destruction,” said Jarrod Kunze, who drove from his Alabama home to the hard-hit Mississippi town of Rolling Fork, ready to help “in whatever capacity is needed.”

Kunze was among the volunteers working Sunday in a staging area, where bottled water and other supplies were prepared for distribution.

KeUntey Ousley tries to salvage what she can from her mother’s boyfriend’s vehicle, as her mother LaShata Ousley and girlfriend Mikita Davis look on, after a tornado ripped through their small Delta town the night before in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, USA, on March 25, 2023.

Search and recovery teams resumed the daunting task of digging through collapsed and battered homes, commercial buildings and municipal offices after hundreds of people were displaced.

The storm hit so fast that the Rolling Fork sheriff’s department barely had time to sound its sirens to warn the community of 2,000 residents, Mayor Eldridge Walker said.

“And by the time they activated the siren, the storm had hit and knocked over the siren that is located right here,” Walker said, referring to an area just a few blocks from downtown.

The mayor said that his city was devastated.

“Sharkey County, Mississippi, is one of the poorest counties in the state of Mississippi, but we are still resilient,” he said. “We have a long way to go, and we certainly thank everyone for their prayers and all they will or can do for this community.”

President Joe Biden issued an emergency declaration for Mississippi early Sunday morning, making federal funds available to hard-hit areas.

“Help is on the way,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said at a news conference with local, state and federal leaders.

Recovery efforts in Mississippi were underway even as the National Weather Service warned of a new risk of more severe weather Sunday, including high winds, hail and possible tornadoes in Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

A tornado touched down early Sunday in Troup County, Georgia, near the Alabama border, according to the Georgia Self Aid Group. The affected areas included the county seat of LaGrange, about 67 miles (108 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta.

Source: VOA Español

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