Violent storms and at least one tornado hit the southern US state of Mississippi on Friday, destroying buildings and cutting out power, at least 23 people were killed, authorities said Saturday.
At the same time, storms with hail the size of a golf ball hit several Southern states.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency confirmed that he had been there at 6:20 pm Saturday 23 dead, four missing and dozens wounded statewide. The agency tweeted that search and rescue teams from several state and local agencies were assisting those affected.
Thousands of users in the states of Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee had no electricity.
The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado caused damage about 100 kilometers northeast of Jackson, Mississippi. The rural towns of Silver City and Rolling Fork sustained extensive damage as the tornado, without weakening, headed toward Alabama at 70 mph through Winona, Amory and other towns.
The service was very clear in its warning: “To protect your life, TAKE CARE NOW!”
“Your life is in danger,” he warned. “Flying debris can be fatal to those caught without shelter. The mobile homes will be destroyed. Homes, businesses and vehicles are likely to suffer severe damage and total destruction is possible,” the weather service said.
“At least 23 Mississippians were killed by violent tornadoes last night. We know many more were injured. Search and rescue teams remain active,” Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said on Twitter.
“The loss will be felt in these cities forever. Please pray that the hand of God be upon all who have lost family and friends.”
MEMA fears that the number of dead, “unfortunately”, will increase. TV pictures shown houses razed to the ground and debris scattered on the streets.
Devastation
“my city has disappeared“Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker in Sharkey County complained to WJTV, ‘What we’ve found is devastation all around us.’
The mayor explained that he was unable to leave his home immediately after the tornado hit because there were downed power lines. He added that rescuers were trying to get the injured to hospitals.
A resident of that Mississippi town, Cornel Knight, said Associated press that he, his wife, and their 3-year-old daughter were staying with relatives when the tornado hit. He said the sky was dark, but “you could see his direction for every transformer that exploded.”
He indicated that everything was “absolutely silent” when it happened. Knight said he stayed in the driveway until the tornado was, she estimated, less than a mile away. Then he asked everyone in the residence to take refuge in a corridor.
He commented that the tornado hit the home of other relatives across a large cornfield from where they were. A wall of that residence collapsed and captured several people. When Knight spoke to the AP by phone, he indicated that he could see emergency vehicle lights there.
Woodrow Johnson, a Humphreys County official, told CNN that his wife jolted him awake at the noise. “It was a very scary thing,” Johnson said, adding that his neighbor’s house, a trailer, had “completely disappeared”.
Source: AFP and AP
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.