At least 23 people have died and dozens more have been injured after an unprecedented series of devastating tornadoes and storms ripped through the US state of Mississippi on Friday night, leaving four unaccounted for and the town of Rolling Fork nearly destroyed. According to state officials, deaths were reported across Sharkey, Humphreys, Carroll, and Monroe counties. In response to the tragedy, Governor Tate Reeves has activated additional emergency personnel to help in rescue efforts as well as provide aid to those affected by the disaster.
Images and videos posted to social media show scenes of massive destruction brought by winds reaching over 50 miles per hour (80.46 km/h). Houses have been completely demolished with cars thrown about like mere toys. Power outages were reported in 83,000 homes across three states, in Tennessee 47,000 homes were left in darkness until electricity was restored late Saturday afternoon according to PowerOutage.us.
The Federal Emergency Management Administration has also sent a team to Mississippi to assess the damage while locals are desperately trying to locate missing loved ones amid piles of rubble that used to be their homes. With another round of storms expected on Sunday including heavy winds, tornadoes, and hail among other things; local authorities were stressing preparedness and safety tips such as seeking shelter in sturdy structures or underground bunkers if necessary.
