A rare, long-track tornado left a trail of devastation across western Mississippi on Friday night — killing at least 25 people, tearing buildings and leaving thousands of homes without power. At least one person also died in storms in Alabama.
“This is a terrible incident,” Mississippi Governor Tet Reeves said at a press conference. “It’s heartbreaking. There’s really no other way to describe it. It’s absolutely heartbreaking.
President Biden, who spoke with Reeves on Saturday, also called the Mississippi footage “heartbreaking” and said the federal government would have its full support in the aftermath of the storm.
“Jill and I are praying for those who lost loved ones and those who lost loved ones in the devastating Mississippi tornado,” he said.
Biden also noted that FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has deployed emergency responders and resources to the state to help restore efforts.
“To those affected by these devastating storms, and to first responders and responders who are committed to helping fellow Americans: We will do everything in our power to help them,” he added.
The Mississippi State Emergency Management Agency said Saturday afternoon that 25 people were killed and dozens more injured in the tornado.
Local and national rescue teams deployed overnight and provided resources to victims of the severe weather, officials noted.
In Alabama, Morgan County Emergency Management confirmed to NPR that at least one person in the state died after a mobile home toppled during the tornado.
The storm left a trail of destruction
A tornado hit Rolling Fork, Mississippi, about an hour’s drive from Jackson, around 8 p.m. ET. Local time, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Lance Perrilloux.
Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker told CNN that his “city is gone.”
Walker, who inspected the wreckage in his town, said destruction and vandalism were widespread. He added that several residents were found trapped in their homes and rushed to hospital while emergency crews searched for other survivors.
“As we speak, the rescue mission is still ongoing,” Walker said Saturday morning.
The tornado then moved northeast, engulfing the nearby towns of Silver City and Winona. The severe weather also produced golf ball sized hail.
Damage continued in the small town of Black Hawk, about 60 miles northeast of where the tornado made landfall.
Homes were destroyed, buildings collapsed and trees were uprooted across the city, according to photos shared by local resident Chris Alford.
Alford, who lives a few miles from the town of Black Hawk and is a frequent stop, drove to the area on Saturday to help assess the damage. Some residents were found trapped in their cars, and cherished community homes and landmarks, including a Baptist church and a community center, were flattened, he said.
“The area has been completely devastated,” he told NPR. “People are mobilizing, but they need help.”
Reeves declared a state of emergency for the affected area. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told FOX News on Saturday afternoon that she was working with Reeves to draft the request for a federal emergency declaration “as soon as possible.”
The National Weather Service said the threat of severe weather in the area will continue through Saturday evening, with showers and thunderstorms possible Sunday.
A tornado of such length is ‘very rare’, experts say
In total, the tornado stretched about 170 miles and lasted just over an hour, which Perrilloux of the NWS described as “very rare.”
“This is one of the rarest tornadoes we’ve seen in recorded Mississippi history because it’s prolonged and intense over a period of time,” he told NPR.
According to Perrilloux, at least one other weaker tornado may have hit Mississippi, but this has not been confirmed.
Reeves said search and rescue operations across the state are continuing.
“These cities will always feel this loss,” he said. “Please pray for the hand of God to come upon all those who have lost family and friends.”
At least 13 people were killed in Sharkey County, the Associated Press reported. Five other people died in Carroll County and Monroe County northeast of Rolling Fork, ABC News reported.
Another death in Silver City was also confirmed by Mississippi State Highway Patrolman Jose Watson in a Facebook Live video.
More than 40,000 customers were without power in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee as of Saturday afternoon, PowerOutage.us reported.
In Alabama, residents of Hamilton in Marion County reported damaged roofs, downed trees and downed power lines, Al.com reported.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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