The risk of more severe weather in tornado-hit Mississippi “appears to be increasing,” the governor warned.
A state of emergency has been declared A destructive tornado killed at least 26 people on Friday, but locals have been warned of more dangerous conditions to come.
Speaking at a sunny outdoor news conference Sunday, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said the seemingly pleasant weather could change quickly.
“What we saw […] In the 24 to 36 hours leading up to this afternoon, the risk appeared to be getting worse, not better,” he warned.
Mr Reeves said there was a “significant risk” for anyone living south of Interstate 55, the longest freeway in the South.
He added that officials were prepared for “potential severe weather” and were “monitoring very closely”.
It will be grim reading for those who may be in the path of further storms, which already left a devastating trail on one of the poorest parts of the United States on Friday.
Recovery will be ‘a long-term event’
state of emergency declared by the president joe biden That means federal funding will go to the hardest-hit areas — Carroll, Humphreys, Monroe and Sharkey counties.
recovery team is continue the hard work Or sifting through the rubble of flattened buildings, leaving dozens injured and hundreds homeless.
“We know this is going to be a long recovery event,” FEMA Administrator Dean Criswell warned.
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“Fortunate to be alive”
There are fears the death toll could climb as more rubble is cleared.
Of those confirmed dead so far, 25 are in Mississippianother nearby Alabama.
Erwin Macon, who works at a school in the town of Rolling Fork, where Reeves spoke, told Sky News he was “lucky to be alive” after his mobile home was destroyed.
Another local, Tracy Harden, said employees at her Chuck’s Dairy Bar had to hide in refrigerators and knock off the roof of the building when the tornado hit.
According to the National Weather Service, the tornado reached wind gusts of 166 mph to 200 mph.
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Tiger escapes damaged enclosure
Elsewhere, a tornado hit Troup County, Georgia, early Sunday morning.
Five people were slightly injured, as many as 100 buildings were damaged and roads were blocked with rubble.
A safari park in the Mount Pine area has been vandalized, causing two tigers to escape from their enclosures, although they have been located and returned safely.