The tornado was on the ground for about an hour and devastated an area about 170 miles (274 kilometers) long, said Nicholas Price, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mississippi.
An aerial view shows the aftermath of a tornado in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, U.S., on March 25, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Trees and houses destroyed by storms and tornadoes. Photo: Reuters
Tractor-trailers were also easily knocked over by the storm. Photo: AP
A family lost their home after the storm. Photo: Reuters
Many cars and people's properties were destroyed by the storm. Photo: AP
Video from Rolling Fork, a town of 1,700 in the western Mississippi that was hardest hit, showed homes reduced to rubble. The tornado also toppled trees and tossed cars. Major structures in the area were also severely damaged.
Governor Tate Reeves, who visited the tornado-ravaged town of Silver City, declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. “The extent of the damage is clear… Homes, businesses… entire communities,” he wrote on Twitter.
In Alabama, rescuers pulled a man from the mud after his tractor-trailer overturned, but he died from his injuries. It appeared to be the only death reported in the state as of Saturday afternoon.
US President Joe Biden offered his condolences to the victims and promised assistance. “We will do everything we can to help… We will work together to provide the support you need to recover,” he said.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said Saturday afternoon that the death toll had risen to 25, with dozens more injured. The agency said four people previously reported missing had been found.
At least 12 of those deaths occurred in Rolling Fork, Mayor Eldridge Walker told CNN earlier in the day. “My town is gone, but we will still stand,” Walker told CNN.
Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, AP, CNN)
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