The governor has cautioned that the risks of further catastrophic weather in tornado-ravaged Mississippi “seem to be growing worse and worse.”
A state of emergency has been declared in the aftermath of a devastating tornado that killed at least 26 people on Friday, but residents have been warned that more deadly weather is on the way.
Despite the fact that he was speaking at a beautiful outdoor press conference on Sunday, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves warned that the seemingly nice weather might rapidly change.
“What we’ve seen […] is in the 24 to 36 hours leading up to this afternoon, it appears that the risks seem to be getting worse and worse, not better,” he warned.
Mr. Reeves stated that anyone residing south of Interstate 55, the south’s longest route, faces “serious risks.”
Authorities are preparing for “possible severe weather” and are “very closely watching that,” he added.
It will be depressing reading for people who may be in the way of additional storms, with Friday’s storm leaving a path of damage through one of the poorest parts of the United States.
President Joe Biden’s declaration of a state of emergency means that federal funds will be made available to the severely afflicted counties, which include Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe, and Sharkey.
With dozens of people injured and hundreds more displaced, recovery workers are still digging through the debris of collapsed structures.
“We realize that this is going to be a long-term recovery event,” said Deanne Criswell, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s chief.
The number of those murdered is expected to rise when additional rubble is removed.
So far, twenty-five people have been reported dead in Mississippi, with the other in neighboring Alabama.
After his mobile home was demolished, Erwin Macon, who teaches at a school in the community of Rolling Fork, where Mr Reeves spoke, told Sky News he was “lucky to be alive.”
Tracy Harden, another resident, said staff at her Chuck’s Dairy Bar had to shelter in a freezer as the tornado ripped the building’s roof off.
The tornado reached winds of up to 200 mph, according to National Weather Service statistics.
A tornado also touched down in Troup County, Georgia, early Sunday.
Five persons were injured, up to 100 structures were destroyed, and numerous highways were closed due to debris.
Two tigers escaped from their enclosures due to damage at a safari park in the Pine Mountain area, but they have since been recovered and securely returned.
