Mississippi: At Least 26 Killed as Tornado Ravages Southern US State

A tornado hit shortly after sunset Friday amid a major storm that brought twisters, torrential rain, wind gusts, and hail to the South, killing at least 25 individuals in Mississippi and one in Alabama.

The Mississippi tornado formed as a result of the storm system and touched down in Mississippi, wreaking havoc on cities and towns throughout the state.

Rolling Fork, a small village 60 miles northwest of Jackson, has mounds of wreckage where houses formerly stood. The Mississippi tornado hit rural regions as it headed northeast.

The damage inflicted by the tornado was verified by the National Weather Service. It occurred around 60 miles northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. The devastation was recorded in Silver City and Rolling Fork as the tornado roared northeast at 70 mph without slowing down, passing through Winona and Amory on its way to Alabama late at night, according to CBS News.

Heartbreaking Mississippi Tornado Onslaught Images

Images on a local news show several vehicles were flipped over and damaged, fences were torn down, and trees were uprooted due to the Mississippi tornado.

During and after the tornado, photographers and "storm chasers" caught footage of widespread destruction, including whole neighborhoods reduced to charred heaps of wood and rubble, trees peeled off their leaves, and vehicles crashed into one another, per The New York Times. One water tower got wrecked, and emergency workers said that broken power lines made it hard for some people to get to the site.

Poweroutage.us reported that just under 100,000 people in Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee were without electricity, with some of the hardest-hit districts almost entirely having no access to power.

In a tweet late on Friday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves stated that rescue crews were working and that additional medical help was on the way.

Governor Tate Reeves underscored that residents in Mississippi Delta need prayers and "God's protection" amid the Mississippi tornado. He also advised the public to stay alert and monitor the weather forecast when terrible storms slammed over the South overnight.

President Joe Biden Promises Aid For Mississippi Tornado Victims

United States President Joseph Biden met with state and local officials. The POTUS said he is "praying for those who have lost loved ones" and "for those whose loved ones are missing."

In a statement, President Joe Biden noted that he had talked with Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Representative Bennie Thompson. Biden also said that he had contacted Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves, as reported by CNN.

President Joe Biden conveyed his sympathies and the "full support" of the federal government "as communities recover from the effects" of the Mississippi tornado.

In addition, Joe Biden mentioned that he spoke with Deanne Criswell, Administrator of FEMA, who has already sent emergency response troops and resources to assist search-and-rescue groups, evaluate the damage, and concentrate the US government's help where it is most urgently needed.

The National Weather Service has cautioned locals that "dangers remain even after the storms move on" as recovery efforts proceed. Saturday morning saw the end of a local tornado watch, according to experts. It was predicted that there will be more thunderstorms, but they wouldn't be very bad, per NDTV.

Tornadoes, famously unpredictable meteorological phenomena, often occur in the United States, particularly in the southern and central regions.

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United States, Us, Mississippi, Tornado, Joe Biden, Weather, Storm, Alabama, Climate change