Even as ferocious fresh storms blasted over the Deep South on Sunday, aid started to come into one of the poorest areas in the country after a deadly tornado tore a path of damage across a vast expanse of Mississippi.
As the powerful hurricane tore through multiple communities in Mississippi late Friday, at least 25 people were killed, and numerous others were hurt. In Alabama, a man was also murdered after his mobile house was repeatedly overturned.
Following the displacement of hundreds of people, search and recovery teams recommenced the problematic process of sifting through flattened and destroyed houses, business buildings, and municipal offices.
Jarrod Kunze drove from his home in Alabama to the devastated Mississippi community of Rolling Fork, ready to help “in any capacity I’m needed.”
Everything that he could see was damaged in some way.
At a staging location where bottled water and other supplies were being prepared for distribution, Kunze was one of the volunteers working on Sunday.
According to Rolling Fork Mayor Eldridge Walker, the storm arrived so swiftly that the sheriff’s office hardly had time to sound the warning sirens in the 2,000-person village.
Walker pointed to a location just a few streets from downtown, “And by the time they launched the siren, the storm had hit, and it tore down the siren that’s positioned right over here.”
The mayor described the devastation in his village.
He added that one of the poorest counties in Mississippi is Sharkey County, yet despite our poverty, we have persevered.
We acknowledge that we still have a long way to go and are grateful for everyone’s prayers and support for the community.
Early Sunday, President Joe Biden declared an emergency in Mississippi, opening up federal aid for the hardest-hit counties.
Gov. Tate Reeves of Mississippi said at a news conference alongside local, state, and federal officials that “help is on the way.”
“We realize that this is going to be a long-term recovery event,” Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said.
While the National Weather Service issued a new risk of further severe weather on Sunday, including high winds, large hail, and maybe tornadoes across Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, recovery activities were underway in Mississippi.
According to the Georgia Mutual Assistance Organization, a tornado landed early on Sunday in Troup County, Georgia, close to the Alabama border. LaGrange’s county seat, located about 67 miles (108 kilometers) southwest of Atlanta, was among the affected locations.
According to officials, up to 100 structures in Georgia were damaged, making at least 30 of them uninhabitable, and five people received minor injuries. Debris obstructed several routes, including Interstate Highway 85.
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