At least 23 people have died after tornadoes tore through Mississippi on Friday night, causing widespread devastation in several rural towns. More people are believed to be trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings, and trees and power lines have been torn down, resulting in tens of thousands of power outages.
Several other southern states are also bracing for powerful storms, with golf ball-sized hail and heavy rainfall reported in various parts of Mississippi. The small town of Rolling Fork in western Mississippi has experienced particularly severe damage, with tornadoes blowing out the windows of residents’ homes.
Brandy Showah, a local resident, told CNN, “I’ve never seen anything like this… This was a very great small town, and now it’s gone.” Cornel Knight, another resident, recounted the “eerily quiet” moments before the tornado struck, describing how the sky was dark and “you could see the direction from every transformer that blew.”
Knight reported that a wall collapsed in a relative’s house, trapping several people inside. Others remain trapped in piles of rubble, and some law enforcement units are unaccounted for in Sharkey County. A local weather forecaster offered a prayer for the residents of Amery as he reported on the strength of an approaching tornado.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves tweeted about the search and rescue teams providing medical support to those affected, urging people to “watch weather reports and stay cautious through the night, Mississippi!”
